In Scarsdale, the center of teens’ lives and perhaps even identity is contingent on school. Suddenly having that stability slip out from underneath you is distressing, and has caused a general shift in the mental health of our peers. Students tend to use grades, sports, and socialization as stepping stones to get through the day – but zoom links are less tangible to grasp. A common sentiment from students is that waking up for a day of concerningly-long assignments on a screen does not produce the same motivation we have grown accustomed to. It is increasingly easy to procrastinate tasks and even easier to drain all our physical and emotional energy into devices, which have become our primary tool for connecting with others. Luckily, these temporary experiences are ones shared by fellow friends and family. Project Calendula is a new club aimed at improving wellness and mental health in the SHS community, and a wonderful resource for anyone adjusting to the “new normal.”

While initially inspired by her time in the Green Ribbon Club, Founder and President JanMariz Deguia ’22 saw space for another association which is more orientated towards bringing speakers into the school, conversing with health teachers, and executing fundraisers. “I struggle with mental health issues myself and I’ve found the process of getting help quite difficult because of the stigma around mental illness and therapy. I wanted to make sure no one else struggled the way I did – I wanted to create a space where [students] can get all the information I didn’t think I had,” explained Deguia. She, alongside Alexa Rosenbloom ’22 and Ariella Pevzner ’22, is in contact with some exciting people and organizations – they are already on track to release their website. 

The name, Project Calendula, is an ode to the flower which holds strong meaning for the founder of Project Calendula. The warm, sun-like appearance of the marigold flower is a symbol of perseverance and happiness. It is said to bring success, and the club will translate that into inspiration and hope for things getting better after pushing through the painful parts of life. She thought of the symbol often after the tragic loss of two people in her life to suicide. With so many struggling to maintain their mental health in quarantine, Project Calendula hopes to be a beacon of community, vulnerability, and growth. “It’s such a bright little flower that is kind of energizing…We wish to bring that same type of energy, that optimism, and strength, to the people,” remarked Deguia.