IHS’ Green Team is comprised of a select group of individuals who dedicate their time to take on leadership roles in creating and implementing activities to bring awareness to mental health in IHS. 

Green Team’s initiative is to spread mental health awareness and end the stigma that follows it. Members of the team work to plan activities to support and educate students and make them feel less alone. Green Team is a smaller group of individuals who are involved in The Green Bandana initiative. This is a larger organization where students wear a green bandana and vow to help students in need and give them someone to talk to or direct them to their counselor. 

Miss Cassidy Black is the faculty advisor for Green Team, who accounts for many responsibilities such as helping with the logistics of planning and facilitating school communication. The Green Team also works with Mrs. Courtney Kuncelman, the school psychologist at IHS.

Although Miss Black takes on the faculty responsibilities, members of the Green Team have many other duties to attend to, such as planning events, activities, fundraisers and even designing T-shirts, which were sold to students to show their support for mental health.

Sophomore Julia Weber is working hard to bring therapy dogs back to IHS. She expresses, “The therapy dogs are a great tool that students can use to alleviate their stress and anxiety, [they] can also help students cope with more serious situations.” For some students, it can be easier to feel calm or connect with animals rather than peers or trusted adults. 

Junior Anna Carnovale mentions why she chose to join Green Team, “ I believe everyone’s story should be told and heard. No one should ever have to suffer in silence.” 

Carnovale then spoke to those considering supporting the Green Bandana Initiative, “To anyone considering joining Green Team I would tell them to join the fight and become a Green Ribbon. A Green Ribbon is a great way to show your support for mental health.” 

Any student considering being a part of the Green Bandana Initiative is able to stop in room 130 to sign the pledge to join, as well as receive a green ribbon to tie around the student’s backpack.  

Students are encouraged to resource the Green Bandana initiative if they or someone they know are struggling with mental health or just need to talk to someone. Green Team’s activities bring all students together in the battle against mental health in IHS.