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Southampton students say HUGS retreat helped them open up about mental health
Summary
Students and chaperones told the board that a recent HUGS retreat on Shelter Island helped build peer empathy, shifted conversations about substance use toward causes like trauma and isolation, and produced student leaders the district now supports.
Students, chaperones and district staff told the Southampton Union Free School District Board of Education that a recent HUGS leadership retreat strengthened peer support and encouraged students to share experiences about mental health.
"At first, you arrive on Shelter Island knowing almost nobody," said Amar (also known as Anthony Ortoni), describing how the retreat helped him and classmates form close bonds and feel comfortable sharing personal struggles. "By the end of the trip, they truly felt like family to me," he said.
Principal and trip leader Christopher DeRosa told the board the program has grown: "We've had 15 different student leader selections from our school, and we've had the privilege of bringing over a 100 Southampton students into this experience." Students who attended said the program emphasized listening and relationships more than the standard prevention messaging.
"We weren't just talking about drugs or alcohol," said a junior, Sarah. "We were talking about mental health, stress, trauma, and grief, and feeling isolated." Another student, Burke Dunn, said the weekend's nonjudgmental environment helped him during a year of medical challenges.
Several students and an adult leader also described a moment when a facilitator disclosed a past substance-use problem; attendees said that personal disclosure made recovery and help-seeking feel more attainable. One presenter also cited national recovery figures during her remarks; those numbers in the transcript were garbled and are reported here as stated in the meeting but not independently verified.
Why it matters: Students and staff said the retreat builds leadership and social-emotional skills the district sees as important to reducing isolation and preventing crisis. Students who serve as leaders at the retreats return with plans to mentor peers and to expand outreach to classmates.
What attendees told the board: Students described concrete follow-ups they plan to pursue — advertising meeting times inside schools, encouraging more peer-centered listening spaces, and having student voices at the table when the board discusses school climate. Several students said they intend to return next year as student leaders.
The presentation concluded with board praise for the students’ willingness to speak publicly; the board later introduced the district’s two ex officio student members (see separate article).
