Gratitude to Change Your Mood, a student-led wellness group, is operating at Oakwood High Schools to help students deal with stress and focus on the positive.

Sarah Connell, Maeve Lynch, Neave Lynch and Caroline Woessner started the group to help students “calm their brains” with gratitude.

“From personal experiences, gratitude can help change your mood in a since that it organizes your priorities and puts in line what is important to you. I think sometimes when we are caught up with life, it can become stressful but with gratitude, it will help remind you of everything good happening too instead of focusing on the negative,” Connell said.

During club meetings, students will be able to make and write in their own gratitude journals, meditate and do other calming activities. 

“We hope the club will create a safe space for students in the junior high and high school buildings where they can feel less stressed. Since school can be a stressful environment, using this space will provide a way for students to get away from the stress.”