Note: The online spacing of the letter below does not adhere to MLA 8 guidelines. The essay originally did adhere to MLA 8 formatting.
Student A
Shango Hall
SUNY New Paltz
New Paltz, NY 12561
studenta@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu
3 September 2019
Martin Hernandez, Principal
World View High School
100 West Mosholu Parkway
Bronx, NY 10468
Dear Mr. Hernandez,
Hello, how are you? I hope you are having a wonderful day Mr. Hernandez. My name is ——, and I was one of your students at World View last year. I would like to propose an idea that will hopefully motivate World View students to attend school more often and to be involved in school activities. In addition, my plan will hopefully lead to less detentions and suspensions. My proposal is that World View offer a one-credit mental health class, which you might decide to name, Expressions. I have chosen this name because adolescents need forums in which to express themselves, particularly when they are going through problems.
According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, “one in five adolescents has a serious mental health disorder, such as depression and/or anxiety disorders, at some point in their life” (“Mental Health”). That means over 300 students in your building right now are likely dealing with mental health issues that they can’t treat on their own. In particular, students who are poor have a lot of expectations on them, which creates stress that affects them both mentally and academically (Rumberger 146). The Expressions course I am proposing will teach students the importance of mental health and help them get the support they need. Students who have problems at home, in their families and in their communities can engage in risky behavior. However, students are not only facing issues at home. Their personal issues are combined with “exams, essay assignments, after-school clubs, athletics—it’s a lot to handle. For some students, there’s so much pressure to succeed it can make your head spin and leave you feeling overwhelmed, stressed out, and anxious’’ (“School Pressure”). In addition to anxiety issues, high school students often struggle with depression. In fact, according to the American Psychological Association, depression is one of the most common illnesses in the United States (Gardner and Barefoot 312).
As I previously stated, the primary goal of the Expressions course will be to teach students about the importance of mental health, but I also would like to make the course a safe space to discuss problems. Allowing students to engage in discussion will go a long way to making Expressions truly useful. In other words, students will not just be sitting through a lecture class, taking notes. As you know, New York State law requires that schools help meet student mental health needs (NYSED 8). By providing both instruction and small group discussion, the class will help World View to meet this state requirement.
The Expressions course should be designed to be taught by any teacher at World Vision, with some training and a common textbook. The reason I think it is important that a variety of teachers, in any subject, be able to teach the course is that they are natural role models, and their stories inspire students. For example, my history teacher in tenth grade, Mr. ——, shared his own struggle with mental health disorders, which helped me feel like there was an adult who finally understood me. Since I was able to relate to him, I believe that other students would also feel the same way.
Yes, I do know that World Vision already provides counseling, but the problem is that students don’t always build relationships with their counselors. Students often feel as if their counselors have too many students assigned to them and that the counselors don’t really care. In addition, students who are experiencing troubling situations at home often don’t want to tell a counselor whom they don’t know well in fear that either they or their family members will get into trouble. They wind up believing that no adults are available to help them. That is why it is important that students have a class such as the one I have described. It will be a place where discussions of mental health is normalized, and they can have their voices be heard.
Another objection you might have is that the course will take time away from the school day. However, a one-credit class does not need to be taught every day or it can be scheduled as a six- or eight-week modular course. Keep in mind also that this time would be well invested. After they express themselves and learn about resources for addressing their problems, students in crisis may attend school more often, and suspensions and behavior problems will decrease. If World Vision offers Expressions, I believe that you will see an overall progression in terms of academics, students’ behavior toward one another, and towards authority. You will give your students a better path towards their futures.
Thank you for reading my proposal letter. I truly believe that the Expressions course will not only benefit World Vision, but also will wind up strengthening students and their families. If you have any questions, please reach out to me. I am more than happy to talk to you via email or even in person.
Sincerely,
—————
Works Cited
Gardner, John N. and Betsy O. Barefoot. Your College Experience Strategies Success Thirteenth Edition, Bedford/St. Martin’s; 2017.
“Mental Health, Adolescents.” HHS, https://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/adolescentdevelopment/mental-health/index.html.
New York State Education Department (NYSED). “Mental Health Education Literacy in: Linking to a Continuum of Well- being Comprehensive Guide.” July 2018, New York State Education Department, http://www.nysed.gov/common/nysed/files/programs/curriculum-instruction/continuumofwellbeingguide.pdf
Rumberger, Russell W. Dropping Out: Why Students Dropout of High School And What Can Be Done about It. Harvard University Press, 2011.
“School Pressure Getting to You?” Amen Clinic, https://www.amenclinics.com/blog/school-pressure-getting-to-you/.In
