Published April 29, 2024
Going Green for Mental Health in Schools
In conjunction with using some of the educational tools included in the Mental Health America 2024 Toolkit, Where to Start, you might choose to Go Green.
Green is the “official color for mental health awareness” and “represents renewal, hope and vitality.”
Be ready to explain WHY you are displaying green: to demonstrate commitment to mental well-being.
In schools, if your class or club has a bulletin board or display case to use, consider lighting it up green in May for Mental Health Month. (MHA has a program that involves lighting entire buildings with green.)
MHA has a Be Seen in Green Challenge from May 1st – May 31st, 2024, and encourages registration, creating an event, and fundraising. While these activities seem well suited to adults, students working together in classes or clubs could instead encourage a school-wide campaign of mental health awareness.
Display green by:
- Wearing green clothing
- Wearing a green ribbon, pin or bracelet
- Dying your hair green – if you are really brave!
- Painting your nails green
- Wearing green face paint
- Putting up green posters sharing
- Encouragement
- Gratitude
- Information (see Key Messages in Toolkit)
- Sharing green cookies or cupcakes
To view or download the entire toolkit or parts of it, visit the 2024 Mental Health Month Toolkit download page.