PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Cree Atkins-Griffin, Student at Repertory Company High School for Performing Arts
1:21:19
·
132 sec
Cree Atkins-Griffin, an 18-year-old senior at Repertory Company High School for Performing Arts, testified about the importance of wellness centers in schools and the need for better mental health support for students. She shared personal experiences of stress and loss due to lack of mental health resources.
- Highlighted the financial struggles of his school despite maintaining a 100% graduation rate
- Emphasized the impact of stress on high school students, particularly during senior year
- Shared the loss of a friend due to lack of mental health support
- Called on council members to fund wellness centers in schools to provide students with access to mental health resources
Cree Atkins-Griffin
1:21:19
Hi.
1:21:19
My name is Griffin.
1:21:21
I'm 18 years old, and I am a senior who currently attends Repertory Company High School for performing arts.
1:21:30
And I have experienced what it's like being a high schooler for the past 3, 4 years because I am telling you it's very stressful, and it's hard to manage because I feel like the city neglect many schools, especially schools like mine, which is in district 2.
1:21:45
But we are a current low budget school that creates fundraisers and put on performances in order to raise money to keep our school going because we have we never have much material to keep us lifted despite maintaining a 100% graduation rate and students who try to best maintain a positive school learn.
1:22:04
But somehow, the city still fails to present us with things needed, like wellness centers, which are necessary in those schools.
1:22:12
Because once you get to that stage that of life in school, you feel stressed and you feel discouraged.
1:22:20
And I've been through those stages many times, especially the year I'm in right now with colleges and staying on top of everything, graduation, all that stuff.
1:22:29
Many of us, we don't have that much to talk to or express emotions or feelings.
1:22:35
And there's a lot of kids who struggle to maintain their mental health because of the lack of social workers.
1:22:42
And I recently lost a friend last year due to the lack of mental health because he didn't have no one to talk to.
1:22:49
And it's not the first time I've been through someone who took their own life because of mental health and the lack of no help.
1:22:58
So wellness centers are are important, especially in the schools like Jericho, Marshall Academy, or AP and Randolph.
1:23:05
Those are the few those are mainly our targets that we do.
1:23:08
And then every every student in school should have a access to a person that they feel comfortable talking to and expressing their emotions and feelings.
1:23:17
So as council members, I know you have hope or at least empathy in your heart to make this possible because it could be your kids struggling the same way I was struggling, and you could put a stop to by funding wellness centers in our schools.
1:23:30
Thank you.
