Avon Old Farms Duo Are All-In On Cause Of Mental Health

Avon Old Farms School

AVON/SIMSBURY, CT — Two local Avon Old Farms School students — one from Avon, the other from Simsury — raised just shy of $1,000 for suicide prevention in honor of World Mental Health Day recently.

Oct. 10 marked World Mental Health Day as recognized by the World Health Organization
and the student leaders at the private boarding/day prep school in Avon were all in on the cause.

Co-presidents of the Mental Health Club at Avon Old Farms School, Ben Breslav, 18, of
Simsbury, and Owen Callaghan, 17, of Avon, decided to organize an event to raise both funds
and awareness for what they feel is an important cause.

“We think mental health is a pressing issue, especially for men and boys,” Breslav said. “We
want all the other students to know that whatever they’re going through, it’ll be okay and they
have someone to talk to if they need it.”

Although Avon Old Farms students are finding ways to help their peers, teens at other schools around the world may not be so lucky.

According to WHO, one out of every seven 10 to 19-year-olds experiences a mental illness with depression, anxiety, and behavioral disorders ranking as some of the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents.

Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among 15 to 29-year-olds.

Breslav and Callaghan, along with other members of their club, brainstormed ideas for how to
incentivize their peers to spend World Mental Health Day reflecting on their mental health
while simultaneously showing support for others.

They decided to sell bracelets that would not only act as a display of support for the cause but would excuse students from having to wear their school uniform that day.

The bracelets are green, the color designated by WHO to represent the day, and are inscribed with the words, “Love, Faith, and Hope.”

In all, more than 170 bracelets were sold at $5 a piece, raising a total of $975 for the American
Foundation of Suicide Prevention.

Breslav said he was pleased with the results.

“I’ve seen a lot of people around me, myself included, hit really low points," he said. "As a leader on campus, it’s my job to show the younger students it’s okay to speak up when you’re feeling this way, and that there are services available if they need them.”

“That’s a big goal of the Mental Health Club overall,” Callaghan added. “We want to make
things easier for the younger students.”

Avon Old Farms School offers a wide array of services for mental health and emotional well-being, including having a licensed clinical psychologist on staff as well as a contracted school-
based therapists that are both available to any students in need.

The school also has a strong “Peer Counseling Network” which provides additional support to
students from one of their fellow students who have received a mental health training
certificate.

To find out more about how to get involved or show support for World Mental Health Day, visit this link.

For more information on Avon Old Farms School, click on this link.