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Students urge more in-person mental-health support and raise stress from AP course pressure
Summary
Youth council members said district mental-health services shifted from on-campus therapists to online providers, leaving some students without adequate support; they also described pressure to take many AP classes and recommended targeted support and speaker events.
Youth council members told Covington city officials that mental-health resources at high schools have been reduced in recent years, with on-campus therapists replaced by online services that many students find less effective. Students said limited in-person counseling contributes to stress and reduces their capacity to do schoolwork.
Several students also described academic pressure to enroll in many Advanced Placement (AP) courses. One student said a culture of “take as many APs as you can” normalizes overload and increases stress, and recommended clearer guidance on course load, alternatives such as Running Start, and improved counseling to match students with appropriate class plans.
City leaders suggested several actions the youth council could request from the district: restore or increase on-campus counseling availability, consider in-person speaker events (a former NBA player with a mental-health message was proposed), and better communicate supports to students who do not attend assemblies. Students and councilors said turnout for assemblies can be low and that targeted outreach — including peer-to-peer programs — might improve reach.
Council members said they would bring these concerns to the school board and explore whether the district can provide more in-person supports or partner with community mental-health providers to expand on-campus capacity.
