Successes of the Student Ambassadors’ Student Stress Relief Week

By Olivia Ural

Edited by Sterre Schlosser

From January 13th to 16th, our Student Ambassador team organized a Stress Relief Week, offering lunchtime activities where students were encouraged to participate to temporarily unwind from the stress of school.

Each lunchtime, the ambassadors had two stations situated in the cafeteria and George Jr’s, with activities ranging from stomping on bubble wrap to making friendship bracelets. Students from grades 6-12 could engage in a variety of activities that promoted relaxation, creativity, and connection with their peers, creating meaningful and mindful memories.

The Stress Relief Week took place during the last week of the first semester. Students are swamped with tests, assessments, and final projects while teachers are busy with final grading and completing reports. During such a period, infusing temporary pockets of calm helps remind students and faculty to take breaks and recharge. Ms Kozodoy, the faculty head of the Student Ambassador program at ISA, remarked how “it gives students and teachers a moment to step away from our hectic schedules and remind ourselves the joy in the community that we strive to foster in our school.” In addition to Stress Relief Week, the Student Ambassador team have been welcoming students as they enter school, creating a safe and welcoming environment in a space that we all share.

As highlighted by the Delta Journal of Delft, young people between the ages of 12-25 have been experiencing unprecedented levels of stress and concerns since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. These challenges stem from their uncertainty about the future, complications with their friends or family, and the constant pressures of social media. However, this is not limited to students; post-pandemic, stress levels have surged drastically, with 87.1% of teachers reporting experiencing “significant stress levels” (Agyapong, Belinda et al.). Recognizing that stress is a widespread issue for the whole school environment is critical, and initiating the conversation is the first step towards addressing its growing impact. 

This week not only provides students and teachers with an outlet for their troubles but also helps increase awareness of the globally growing stress levels. These stands help facilitate the conversation about stress levels, and how it is okay to be upfront about when times are challenging. By eliminating the taboo of the conversation, we hope that people feel more confident reaching out in times of need and recognize that a support system is our greatest asset in managing stress.

If you would like to learn more about Stress Relief Week or upcoming events organized by the Student Ambassador team, don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions. They are happy to help! 

Ms. Kozodoys email: lkozodoy@isa.nl

Work Cited

Hoger Onderwijs Persbureau. “Students suffer more from stress, says Statistics Netherlands.” Delta TU Delft, 15 12 2021, https://delta.tudelft.nl/en/article/students-suffer-more-stress-says-statistics-netherlands. Accessed 15 01 2024.

Agyapong, Belinda et al. “Stress, Burnout, Anxiety and Depression among Teachers: A  

Scoping Review.” International journal of environmental research and public 

health vol. 19,17 10706. 27 Aug. 2022, doi:10.3390/ijerph191710706