A former student of BFA-Fairfax is harnessing her personal experience with depression to educate other students on the importance of mental health awareness. What began as a senior year project is poised to revolutionize how middle school students in the Fairfax area learn about mental health.
Elise Towle, a former middle school student at BFA, vividly remembers the time when depression began to affect her during her middle school years. She felt the weight of the stigma associated with mental health issues and struggled to find adequate support within her health classes.
Reflecting on those times, Towle said, “They didn’t teach us about depression and anxiety and all that stuff in middle school, and I think it would have been really helpful if they did because when you’re starting to see those signs, then you can notice, ‘Hey, maybe I need to reach out for some help.'”
Fast forward to her senior year of high school, and Towle took it upon herself to create a program aimed at educating fellow students about mental health. Her initiative, the “Mental Health in Adolescents” project, covered a range of topics, including identifying signs of mental health struggles, the common challenges middle schoolers may encounter, and where to find help.
Towle expressed her motivation, saying, “It’s more about trying to help other people in the ways I wish I could’ve gotten help at that age.” She aspires to see the program incorporated into BFA’s curriculum in the future.
BFA Principal Liz Noonan commended the approach of a student-led conversation on mental health, believing it resonates more effectively with students than conventional lessons. “When it’s created by students, it’s real to them. It gives them a more grounded idea that they are not alone. Somebody else went through this, and they came out, and this is how they handled it,” Noonan observed.
Elise Towle, who has been a dedicated Girl Scout throughout her life, was awarded the prestigious Gold Award, the organization’s highest honor recognizing the efforts of girls in grades 9 through 12 who develop sustainable solutions to community challenges. Towle has also crafted a patch that Girl Scouts can acquire after learning about mental health.
Carrie Loszewski, representing the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains, commended Towle as a prime example of the organization’s principles. “Instead of just saying, ‘You know what, that’s too big of an issue or there’s nothing I can do,’ she said, ‘You know what, I can make a difference. I can do something that will help to make my community better,'” Loszewski emphasized.
As a first-year student at The College of Saint Rose in Albany, Elise Towle is continuing her journey in the realm of mental health, pursuing studies in forensic psychology.
