On a recent Tuesday, a group of girls at Liberty Middle School sat at a table creating luxury scrubs and labels for their containers. They passed bottles of fragrances around and discussed the properties of each, which led to a greater discussion about morning and nighttime routines.

To a casual observer, this activity may have seemed to be a simple craft time, but it was much more.

The girls are part of LMS’ Girls Empowerment Group, an effort to help build the confidence of the students and empower them to succeed, and the activity was part of a module on self-care with Adrienne Jensen, executive director of EverGreen Meadow Academy, and EverGreen social worker Carmen Martinez.

Jensen encouraged the students to share what they were excited about over the past few weeks and what was coming up. One student shared she was happy about winning a softball game but was convinced the team was going to lose the next game.

“But at least you won your last game, right?” Jensen said. The reassurance is an integral part of the group, which aims to support the mental health of middle schoolers.

“EverGreen Meadow reached out to local school districts in Sullivan County and offered services,” LMS School Counselor Michelle Behrman said. “They saw the need for mental health support and services in our county, and we jumped at the chance to work with them.”

The goal of the group, which began last year with six girls, is to teach communication skills, coping strategies and other skills needed to be a successful leader. The girls are invited to the group based on the recommendation of the guidance staff, social worker and psychologist.

The program fits in with the school’s mission to prepare students by promoting academic excellence, respectfulness, independence and responsibility and its vision to foster growth and potential in an accepting, diverse and enriching community.

“Through activities and discussions in the group, girls are encouraged to learn new things about one another, other people they meet and different cultures,” Behrman said. “They are also encouraged to use critical thinking skills to reason through situations. Girls are encouraged to work on gaining independence and how to be responsible.”

Throughout the current school year, there have been two groups of girls—fifth and sixth grade in one and seventh and eighth in the other—with about 18 students total taking part in the twice-a-week sessions.

Typically, the first weekly session focuses on one of the following subject areas: Relaxation, Grounding, Self Care, Distraction Skills, Creative Outlets, Movement Skills, Good Health Habits, Manners, Thinking Skills, Loneliness, Anger, Sadness/Grief, Body Image, Social Media, Anxiety, Fear (lack of safety) and Internet Safety.

During the next session that week, students participate in an activity that reinforces what they learned.

Seventh-grader Asia Hurley said the group has taught her to not immediately react to a situation.

“You should think for a second, and don’t go to the first thing that comes to your mind,” she said.

Eighth grader Alyssa Padilla agreed, adding she learned to focus on more positive things.

Fifth-grader Savannah Kandic said the activity days are her favorite because she likes spending time with the other students and doing the crafts with the group.

But there are messages in the activities, Jensen said.

“The activity days are creative and enjoyable and at first glance may seem like just play. Play is an evidence-based way for us to learn, and that is what happens here,” she said. “These activities always involve communication and collective interaction, discussing real-life situations and applying the skills learned.”

“Some of the activities help us really think about a situation and how we could have handled it better,” Asia said.

LMS hopes to increase the number of girls taking part in the 2024-25 school year, possibly having three groups: one for fifth graders, one for six and seventh, and one for eighth, because the transition years are tough, Behrman said.

“While EverGreen Meadow Services is available to other schools, the partnership between Liberty Middle School and EverGreen is a special one,” Jensen said. “(Liberty has) committed to expanding their program here at Liberty Middle School first and then to other schools as funding becomes available.”

The impact so far has been great.

“The girls at Liberty that have come through their Empowerment Group are phenomenal,” Jensen said. “They are bursting with potential and intelligence. They have been observative, receptive and kind. Each of them enters with different personalities and backgrounds that don’t necessarily blend together, but they have worked to find ways of interacting with each other in a supportive manner. This is more than so many of us adults have learned to do.”

Liberty Middle School inducted 21 students into the National Junior Honor Society Induction Ceremony on May 13 in the High School Auditorium.

Those inducted were sixth-graders Madison (Montgomery) Allen, Mya Davis, Claire Ferguson, Makayla Fuentes Serapio, Gavin Grant, Aiden Hernandez Mejia, Luna Hulse, Matthew Kolarik, Corinne Lake, Madison LaMantia, Harper Matuszak, Americus Mott, Zalaina Nash, Angelick Rivera, Brycen Smith and Hayden Smith, seventh-graders Alexandra Galeas Osorio, Yoscari Gomez Mejia, Sariah Ocasio and Jacob Pennell and eighth-grader Alonso Yupanqui.

Students are invited to apply for NJHS based on several criteria including scholarship, service, leadership, character and citizenship; the five pillars of the organization. These students have maintained high academic standing of no less than a 92 GPA all year and have held themselves as exemplary leaders, role models and service-minded citizens in the school and greater liberty community, advisers said. These students have demonstrated high potential to be the great leaders of tomorrow and have pledged to uphold the five pillars of the NJHS, to maintain high scholastic standing, to endeavor intelligently and courageously to be a leader, to practice good character and give of themselves freely in service to help improve their community.

During the event several members spoke about what it means to be dedicated to the pillars and how members work together to contribute their interests, talents and skills to improve the school and Liberty community and shared some encouraging words with our students, families and community members.

Music was also provided by  NJHS students in orchestra: Sophia Vasko, Olivia Matuszak, Joshua DiBartolo, Adriana Ponce-Agredano, Belle Gandulla, Sophia Duarte, Zackary Alvord, Mariely Medina Orellana, Roger Lynker III and Allison Vasko, directed by Sarah Weber.

After the ceremony, students and families celebrated the occasion with a reception in their honor.

Fifth-graders in Jill Parks’ WINN (What I Need Now) class at Liberty Middle School learned more than to just say “no” to vaping, they also learned the reasons behind why they should say no.

“Vaping is bad because it can change the way your brain works if you start at a young age,”  student Alisha Morales said. “It can also cause lung cancer.”

Nicole Blais, a Sullivan 180 prevention coordinator, recently visited Parks’ class for one period a day for five weeks to lead the CATCH My Breath program. CATCH My Breath is a peer-reviewed, evidence-based youth vaping prevention program developed by The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health.

According to its website, the program provides up-to-date information to teachers, parents and health professionals to equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to make informed decisions about the use of e-cigarettes, including JUUL and disposable devices.

“(CATCH My Breath) changed how I think about vaping because I used to think that vaping wasn’t that bad for you until they told us how bad it was,” student Madison Hernandez said.

Students in the enrichment class learned about the addictiveness of vaping, what chemicals can be found in the product, how inhaling those chemicals can affect the body and how some companies market the product to younger people. Blais encouraged students to spread the word about the dangers of vaping. During her first visit, students created posters highlighting what they had learned so far.

“It is essential for students to be exposed to explicit direct instruction about how bad these products are for their health at an early age,” said Parks, who is one of LMS’ Wellness Advisors. “It is much harder to change a habit than start one.”

This is the second year the program has been available for LMS fifth graders. Last year, it was held in partnership with the Boys & Girls Club after school.

The program is new for Sullivan County and fits in well with the district’s Sullivan 180 Empowering a Healthier Generation Program, Parks said. The goal is to eventually have every LMS student go through the program.

“Overall, an anti-vaping program not only addresses a critical health issue among students but also reinforces the values, goals and strategic priorities of the Liberty Central School District,” she said. “It reflects a holistic approach to student well-being and success within a diverse and supportive educational community.”

The program also touches on several pillars of the district’s strategic plan. It can be integrated into the existing health education curriculum, ensuring all students receive comprehensive education about the risks of vaping. Collaborating with parents, teachers, health care professionals and community organizations can strengthen the impact of the anti-vaping program and provide ongoing support to students. And developing and implementing an anti-vaping policy and related procedures aligns with the district’s commitment to integrating its mission and vision into all aspects of its operations.

It appears students are hearing the message of the dangers of vaping.

“People use celebrities to get kids’ attention to e-cigarettes,” student Ely Garcia Garcia said, “but vaping is so, so bad and I will never, ever vape.”