Winter Springs High School is home to over 57 clubs. All of these clubs strive to promote student goals and activities. What makes the Wellness Club stand out the most is how they promote the importance of normalizing emotions, increase awareness and acceptance of different mental illnesses, and kindness to oneself and others. The club sponsor Carrie Crowe has been a sponsor of this club for four years and has loved every minute of it. She says that “spreading awareness and being a part of a club whose goal is to normalize mental health is amazing. Being a part of the process to help students get better not only mentally, but physically….is eye opening.” Not only does Crowe sponsor the Wellness Club, she also teaches peer counseling, supervises Ali’s Hope, and provides a safe place for students to go during pep rallies, lunch, or any school event where they need to destimulate themselves from loud noises and big crowds.

Not only has the club positively affected the sponsor, it has transformed the students in beneficial ways. This club not only shows students how to correctly identify different aspects of mental health, it also shows them that people struggle in various ways. Many teenagers struggle with depression and anxiety. This club gives students the opportunity to learn to normalize mental health and how it is important to take mental health seriously. Your mental health and the mental health of others can affect the ones around you and how they interact with other people. 

Back when the club was founded, it used to be called “Mental Health Awareness.” When Crowe joined four years ago, she felt that “the words ‘mental health’ felt too closed off. We don’t just work on mental health, we work on the wellness of all students.”