From Doodles to Dreams- Mental Health at School

Just Another Monday? Think Again.

It began as any ordinary Monday would. Lily hurried into class as the bell rang, hardly

holding her books. Mr.Cheong, her instructor, had already written something concerning

quadratic equations on the board. But she wasn't thinking clearly. She wondered if she would

ever utilize the formula in real life and gazed at it on the board. Friends were sharing notes,

half-whispering jokes, or simply appearing as puzzled as she did. She felt like she was stuck

in a cycle at school. Get up, study, return home, and repeat. Then something occurred.

A Mentorship Announcement That Shook the Class

On that particular day, Mr. Cheong gave a loud clap of his hands and declared, "All

right, pay attention! Our school will launch its inaugural mentorship program next

month. Each of you will serve as a mentor to a junior student, offering them support

with homework, sports practice, or just guidance. This will be included in the grade

for your project". The class let out a moan. "Why do we have to babysit?" was one of

the protests that some people began to whisper. However, Lily kept quiet. To be

honest, she wasn't excited either. She was given the responsibility of

mentoring a seventh grader, by the end of the week. He was quiet, short, and

always had a sketchbook with him.

First Impressions Aren’t Always Great

They didn't have a good first meeting. He didn't say much. He murmured something about

science homework when she asked him what he wanted help with. She felt like she was

speaking to a wall as I tried to express a few fundamental ideas. She saw the sketchbook

poking out of his bag as he was packing to go. "What is that?" she inquired. After he paused,

he took it out. She had never seen such intricate pencil drawings of landscapes, animals, and even entire cities before. "You completed these?" Sincerely impressed, she asked. With

a nod, his face flushed.

The Hidden Talent in a Sketchbook

The next few weeks he started to open up. He would show her his doodles while she talked

to him about her struggles in school during breaks. She realized that mentoring included

more than just sharing information; it also required listening. One day, he said, "I want to

enter the school art competition, but, I don't think I'm capable enough".

"Are you serious?" Lily said, "You're superior to the majority of professionals I've seen. You must give it a shot".

Finally, he agreed. We worked on his entry together after school, me supporting him while

he nervously filled in all the details.

From Mentor to Cheerleader

He jumped with joy when his name was called out as the winner. As the audience cheered,

he hurried to the stage with his sketch in hand. Even though she didn't receive any rewards

that day, it was still amazing to watch him win. At one point, she believed that school was

solely about assignments and grades.

A Lesson Beyond the Classroom

However, she also learned from her encounter with the seventh grader that life is about the

people you meet and the things they teach you. We occasionally lose sight of how much we

can do to assist others because we are so preoccupied with ourselves. Assisting them also

fosters our development.

Therefore, take a closer look the next time you believe that school is just another dull day.

There may be a tale waiting to be told, one that will alter you in unexpected ways.