What We Provide
We increase mental health AWARE-ness, improve services and foster collaboration between agencies to better serve youth with mental health needs and their families, and connect them with additional services.
Benefits More Counselors available. Calming/Chill Out corners in every classroom. Events for students, parents and community members. Mental health related trainings for school personnel, students and the community |
Trauma Informed Schools
Schools play an important role in providing a safe space for children, having trained personnel helps build a school environment that allows all children to thrive. Trauma Informed Approach A trauma-informed approach according to SAMHSA is, “inclusive of trauma-specific interventions, whether assessment, treatment or recovery supports, yet it also incorporates key trauma principles into the organizational culture." |
2020-2021 School Year: a few things we have accomplished
- Implementing second step program for Social Emotional Learning lessons
- Implementing Mindfulness to all students
- Social media pages (instagram / facebook) multiple instagram accounts (project aware, gay straight alignce, and therapy dogs
- Our Project Aware website
- Research on counseling workbooks for students and on children's books related to SEL
- Designing new sensory areas for our students in the elementary school - this way they will have different options for a sensory break and not get bored with the same one
- Calming Corners / Chill-Out Corners in each classroom for students to take a mental break in the classroom
- Created Zen den's in the teachers lounges to support their self care and mental well being
- We saw the need for an anxiety group and partnered with CMH for that
- Diversity mental health informational session for staff & community (month of February, videos are all recorded online on our Project Aware Shepherd Public Schools Facebook page)
- Creating covid safe fidget boxes for each individual student, this way their items would be germ free and they wouldn't have to worry about others touching their fidgets
- Tons and tons of research (mental health related)!
- Screening students
- Trainings (participating and facilitating)
Shepherd Counselors
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Brogan Holmes: Project Aware counselor at Shepherd Elementary. I spent my undergraduate at the University of Detroit Mercy where I was a division I collegiate athlete in track and field. I graduated with my Masters in Social Work and a certificate in School Social Work from Michigan State University. Working with children has been a passion of mine my entire life. I feel very fortunate to have been given this opportunity to work with the Shepherd Elementary children. In my spare time, I coach track and field for Alma High School, volunteer for kids’ ministry at my church, and I am active in the Royal Family Kids Camp. Alaina Sunken: Project AWARE Counselor for the Shepherd Middle & High Schools. I graduated from Central Michigan University in 2018 with a Master of Arts degree in Professional and School Counseling. I completed my counseling internships at Ferris State University in their personal counseling center and Shepherd Middle School. Previously, I was working at Heritage High School as a school counselor and middle school basketball coach. I also have professional work experience managing a fitness center, working as a middle school paraprofessional, and coaching middle and high school basketball and track. David Gutierrez: Project AWARE Counselor for Odyssey and Winn Schools. Previously I was Odyssey’s Title1/Educational Assistance and Trauma Aware Liaison. I have coached high school football and 7th & 8th grade Girls Basketball. Before coming to Shepherd, I worked at an alternative school in Saginaw, Michigan for 13 years. I attended Delta College and Saginaw Valley State University. My wife, Lisa and I have four adult sons. I enjoy golfing in my free time. I am very excited to be a part of the Project AWARE Team and assist Shepherd Public Schools. |