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Camas High senior presents survey showing swimmers report improved mood, reduced anxiety on swim days
Summary
Isabella “Izzy” Dean, a Camas High School senior and swim team captain, reported survey results at the Feb. 24 board meeting showing swimmers reported better mood, less stress and improved time management on days they swam. Board members praised the data and its social‑emotional implications.
At the Feb. 24 Camas School District board meeting, Camas High School senior Isabella Dean presented results of a student research project indicating that many swimmers report measurable mental‑health and organizational benefits on days they participate in swim practice.
Isabella Dean told the board she surveyed teammates and collected anonymous responses. “Eighty‑nine percent of the swimmers — on days that they swam, they had a better mood,” Dean said. She also reported other survey findings: 51 percent of respondents said they had less stress on swim days; 72 percent reported reduced anxiety; 75 percent said they had higher energy; 64 percent more motivation; 71 percent better relationships; 42 percent better grades; 47 percent improved organization; and 56 percent better time management.
Dean described the swim team as a large, inclusive program that draws many students who had not competed before. She said about 23 percent of swimmers are diagnosed with a mental‑health disorder, and an additional 38 percent are suspected or referred by a physician but not yet diagnosed; she presented those figures as background to explain why she focused on swim’s social‑emotional impact.
Board Director Corey thanked Dean for compiling the data and bringing a student perspective to the board. “I don’t think I’ve seen a report like this on a specific activity in a very long time,” Corey said, adding that the data backed up the district’s broader social‑emotional learning supports.
Dean described team practices and peer supports that contribute to the reported benefits: “We have something called Mindset Monday,” she said, explaining that senior leaders and coaches use brief meetings and team culture to help swimmers process anxiety and focus on process over outcome. She also described the team’s lane structure and how swimmers progress over years, which she said reinforces community and steady improvement.
Why it matters: The presentation provided quantitative student‑reported evidence that participation in school athletics can support social‑emotional outcomes, including mood, anxiety and organizational skills. Board members said the data could inform district conversations about extracurricular supports and SEL (social‑emotional learning).
What the transcript records: Dean identified herself as a senior and captain and described the survey methodology as an anonymous form distributed to swimmers. The board’s comments were supportive; no formal action was taken.
Provenance: Dean’s presentation and the board’s response appear in the meeting transcript during the student reports section.
