Monster Fun Helps Kids Learn To Focus On Mental Awareness

CENTER MORICHES, NY — Monsters played a big part in helping children focus on mental health awareness recently.

Center Moriches High School students recently collaborated on a project with fourth and fifth graders to support mental health, the Center Moriches school district said.

High school students in Ian Leary’s diversity, equality and inclusion advocacy class visited Clayton Huey Elementary School for the interactive project. This class aims to work within the school and community to increase student engagement, the district said.

The high schoolers first read the book, "Sad Monster, Glad Monster" to the elementary school students. Throughout the book, monsters explain what makes them feel different emotions and how they are encouraged to talk about their feelings, the district added.

Following the reading, high school students worked with the fourth and fifth graders to create their own popsicle stick monsters to help them express their emotions, officials said.