Northville Middle Schools Embrace "Be Nice" Initiative for Mental Health

Northville's Hillside and Meads Mill Middle Schools have embraced the "Be Nice" initiative. This program prioritizes mental health awareness and support, encouraging students to notice, invite, challenge, and empower themselves and others. Through engaging activities, students develop coping mechanisms and empathy, fostering a positive environment where everyone feels valued. The initiative reflects a commitment to creating a community where kindness and empathy are paramount, ensuring every student feels supported in prioritizing their mental wellness.

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In a world where mental health awareness is crucial, Northville Public Schools took a bold step forward this year by introducing the be nice initiative at both our Middle Schools. A program designed to empower students, staff, and families to embrace open conversations about Mental Health. The be nice campaign is really a program to kind of improve and bring notice to kids' mental health and everyone's mental health. It gave us tips and strategies on what to do when we feel that we need help and when we think someone else needs help. Former NFL quarterback, Eric Hipple, is one of the mental health advocates spreading the be nice initiative. His message of Notice, Invite, Challenge, and Empower resonates deeply, emphasizing the importance of empowerment. Empower yourself to make a difference in someone else's life but empower yourself to also ask questions, to reach out, keep learning, to not go by the status quo. Empower yourself to make a difference. Teachers at Hillside and Meads Mill jumped onboard, recognizing the significance of mental health support. We jumped on board because it's something that's important. It's mental health and it's all positive, and noticing, inviting, and empowering, just helping kids be who they are and it's really what we do every day but now it's giving you a more concrete formula, so to speak, and giving us an action plan to be more thoughtful and mindful to integrate that into daily lessons. At Meads Mill, they introduced monthly activities like signing a pledge Banner, creating a thankful chain that is now hung as a reminder to students, and a fan favorite... One of my favorites was the coping playlist because I put together so many songs and I use it two to three times a week because like I listen to it in the car, like after school. I learned how to like how to make myself happy when I'm in a low mood or not so great mood. And it also has like taught me like okay these are strategies to be kind. Be nice. And then also be nice to yourself. Derek, one of our be nice coaches, periodically visits to offer helpful strategies. There are so many students here, that someone is going through this and it might be your best friend might be someone you bumped into in the hallway and so it's really good to have those strategies to be able to help people so right now we have all of the students made a word wall in that one word that describes that artistic fabulous I think my favorite one is I am me and embracing that part of you that makes you special and you unique so it's really cool to be like this is our community and then oh I identify with like that emotion or feeling and so that kind of brings our community together the bean recent initiative is not just a program it's a movement towards creating a culture of kindness and support this ripple effect is only the beginning for Northville Public Schools I'm getting wart the district communication specialist

In a proactive move towards prioritizing mental wellness, Northville's two middle schools, Hillside and Meads Mill, have enthusiastically adopted the "Be Nice" initiative. This program aims to revolutionize the approach to mental health awareness and support within educational settings.

The Be Nice initiative emphasizes a culture of compassion, understanding, and resilience. It encourages students to notice, invite, challenge, and empower themselves and others in matters related to mental health. By fostering empathy and providing practical strategies, the initiative equips students with the tools to support themselves and their peers effectively.

"We're thrilled to integrate the Be Nice program into our school community," says Amy Soukup, a teacher at Meads Mill Middle School. "It's all about creating a positive environment where everyone feels valued and supported."

At the heart of the initiative is the belief that every student's well-being is paramount. Through engaging activities such as creating word walls and crafting personalized coping playlists, students are encouraged to express themselves and develop healthy coping mechanisms.

Audrey, a 6th grader at Hillside Middle School, shares her experience with the Be Nice campaign, stating, "It gave us tips and strategies on what to do when we feel that we need help and when we think someone else needs help."

Former NFL quarterback, Eric Hipple, is one of the mental health advocates spreading the Be Nice initiative. With Derek Schaedig, the dedicated Be Nice coach, providing guidance and support, Northville's middle schools are fully committed to making mental health a priority.

In embracing the Be Nice initiative, Northville's middle schools are setting a powerful example of proactive mental health support, paving the way for a brighter and more compassionate future.

To learn more, visit the Be Nice Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan's website.

Published May 16, 2024 Print