A new organization is coming to Blackman High School. Its purpose is to provide support to female students who are dealing with real-world difficulties.  

The name of the organization is My Pink Diary, or MPD, and its focus is to create a positive impact at Blackman High. 

Amanda Durrett, the school nurse, is the founder of My Pink Diary. It launched on January 22, and she encourages any student who feels they need help to come talk to her during or after lunch as soon as possible. If you are interested, visit the nurse’s office to get more information. 

“My Pink Diary, MPD, is a group created by me that focuses on creating a strong foundation for girls prior to them going out into the real world,” Durrett stated. 

This group is created in order to aide girls who need assistance in any areas such as mental health, pregnancy, lack of motivation, behavior, or attitude. She encourages teachers to send any students they feel would benefit from this club, or to direct students that want to join to stop by Nurse Durrett’s office. 

This organization is a great opportunity for any female student who would appreciate some extra help in any of the qualifying areas. It will provide a welcoming environment for any student who needs some extra support. 

“Young women having a trusted adult that they can reach out to anytime is always a positive,” said Lois Walker, psychology teacher.

Blackman High School will benefit from this club due to female students having a safe environment to talk about how they feel to a reliable adult. Mental health is important to maintain, so this club will positively impact female students at our school. 

“In the last ten years, I have seen a rise in both anxiety and depression in adolescent girls, and having a secure place where they can discuss their feelings and find ways to deal with stressors will make a positive impact,” stated Walker.  

This increase in poor mental health has been evident to Ms. Walker, so this club can provide tools that students need in order to improve their mental state. Mental health can affect many aspects of people’s lives, so making sure people deal with stressors properly is vital.  

“Good mental health is essential to your everyday life. Your physical health, your attitude, and your ability to focus all are dependent on your mental health,” explained Walker. 

This club will provide a gateway for students to express their feelings as well as getting the help they need to overcome them.  

“There are so many students here, and so many people need that help, but not everyone gets it because they come from a different background,” stated Erin Wilcox, senior. 

Wilcox also described that she has seen a need for this club at school because of poor mental health, teen pregnancy, and immense problems with depression. She explained that she thought this would be a good opportunity for students to be able to do their best in school. 

“There aren’t many clubs like this one at Blackman. This club is different because you go to it in order to help yourself,” said Wilcox. 

Wilcox is an AP Psychology student, so she is aware of the many factors that play into having a healthy mental state.  

“I just think it’s important to have good mental health in order to excel as a student because the end goal of high school is to graduate. To be able to do your best and to establish good relationships is important. High school is building us to be able to go into the adult world with the skills on how to interact with people,” stated Wilcox. 

Leaving high school equipped with the skills you need to excel is extremely valuable. This club will benefit this school by providing a way to discuss problems and overcome them. 

 Female students at Blackman can benefit from this opportunity, so if you feel that this club is for you, make sure you talk to Nurse Durrett for more information on how to become a part of this club. 

Helpful Links about Adolescent Mental Health

https://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/adolescent-development/mental-health/mental-health-disorders/index.html 

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health