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Royal Oak High students lead "You Matter Week" as district expands mental‑health work
Summary
Students and staff at Royal Oak High School staged 64 events and drew roughly 850 student participants for You Matter Week; board presentation tied the week to district social-emotional learning, PBIS and other mental-health initiatives.
Royal Oak High School student leaders described You Matter Week to the Royal Oak Schools Board of Education on May 8, saying the event prioritized student wellness, peer support and suicide prevention with dozens of school-led activities.
Emily Wade, a high-school social worker, told trustees the week centered social-emotional learning and student agency. "You Matter Week is the annual event that places student wellness in the forefront," Wade said. Student leaders Sophia Forward and Brooke Fox described a student leadership team of 12 that planned 64 events and drew about 850 participants this year, up from roughly 300 last year.
Activities included therapy dogs provided by Alliance of Therapy Dogs and the library’s dog, a meditation room, yoga and Zumba donated by South Oakland Family YMCA, art and journaling sessions, sidewalk murals and a “Take What You Need” wall containing about 2,000 handwritten affirmations. The high school also ran Unified Sports panels that highlighted inclusion with Special Olympics partners and held student and teacher TED‑style talks on topics ranging from autism awareness to imposter syndrome.
Board members praised growth and community support. Trustee Van Heitzman said the chalk art and teacher participation were particularly moving. Trustees highlighted Bloomfield Child and Family Counseling’s presentations on anxiety and depression and noted increased sponsor funding and PTA support this year.
District staff tied You Matter Week to broader district work: a PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) framework at elementary schools, restorative-practices collaborative sessions, and neurodiversity professional development earlier in the year. Student representatives also reported related events across the schools (blood drives, senior activities and IB/Diploma tests) and the board discussed plans to expand neurodiversity and inclusion programming across buildings.
Why it matters: district presenters said the week increased student access to mental-health resources and peer supports and bolstered staff‑led prevention efforts. Trustees asked that successful elements of the week be shared across buildings; presenters invited trustees to upcoming events and noted continuing partnerships with local nonprofits.
