At Challenger Middle School, a Wellness Center Built on Trust Keeps Students Grounded
Walk into the Wellness Center at Challenger Middle School on any given afternoon and you might find students painting rocks, working with kinetic sand, or playing Uno. The center is open during school hours, at lunch, and after school on Mondays, Wednesdays, and every other Friday. For students who need a place to land, it is there.
"The Wellness Center has been a place of safety and security when I needed it. It provided a place where I knew I could come when I was feeling anxious or needed advice about a school or friend problem," a Challenger Middle School student said.
The programming is intentionally wide-ranging. Offerings include bi-weekly Art Expression sessions, pet-provided therapy through Love on a Leash, lunchtime activities, small group sessions, and class presentations on social-emotional learning and health topics through the Primetime afterschool program. Hope Mitchell, Wellness Center Coordinator, also serves as advisor for both the Teens Make Health Happen club and the Game Club, working alongside the school nurse.
On a typical lunch period, between 20 and 35 students come through the door. Mitchell conducts weekly 20-minute check-ins with 37 students total, 18 and 19 on alternating weeks. Art Expression and Love on a Leash pet therapy are consistently the most popular programs. A shared whiteboard in the room stays up, unerased, until the last day of school.
"It is nice because sometimes kids need a place to go just to take a break and not worry about stuff for a little while. Having another place on campus that is here for the students is neat," a Challenger Middle School student said.
What sets Challenger's Wellness Center apart goes beyond programming. It is the level of investment from everyone on campus. School nurse Birgitte Noesgaard, for example, works hand in hand with the Wellness Center, part of a campuswide commitment that students can feel the moment they walk through the door.
"What makes the Wellness Center here unique is that every staff member, from administration, the school psychologist, office staff, counselors, teachers, librarian, school nurse, even the Primetime afterschool program, is invested and supportive of this space. Whatever program or initiative that the Wellness Center is leading or wanting to try, the school is supportive and makes the students feel safe and that they belong," said Mitchell, Wellness Center Coordinator at Challenger Middle School.
The center's reach extends beyond the school day. A yearly program called "What I Wish My Parents Knew" brings families and students together to connect with community resources and talk through issues affecting young people today. Mitchell also helps students navigate Medi-Cal enrollment, housing and employment resources, therapy referrals, and the Youth Pronto Pass for transportation. Community partners include the County of San Diego Department of Strategy and Community Engagement, SAY San Diego, Live Well San Diego, SDSU, the American Heart Association, Love on a Leash, Mending Matters, and local food banks, among others.
From a Challenger Middle School student: "I would recommend the Wellness Center to other students because it is really all about making students feel safe and supported. We do fun activities and we also learn about life and how to deal with certain things that we may be going through."
Student wellness is central to San Diego Unified's goals and guardrails adopted by the Board of Education. Challenger Middle School's Wellness Center is one of more than a dozen across the district working to give every student access to support, resources, and a sense of belonging on campus.
For more information about wellness centers in San Diego Unified, contact [email protected] or call 619-725-5501.
Article written by a communications team member on behalf of the San Diego Unified School District Strategic Communications and Information Department.