As part of its continuing service to students, coaches, administrators and schools across Colorado, the CHSAA will hold three student-based mental health seminars December 15-17 to reinforce the successful initiatives already introduced by the Association in the past three years when students’ mental health concerns were initially prioritized and participation had not been disrupted.

With the continued challenges facing the state during the pandemic, the CHSAA is utilizing its resources to offer a series of live webinars offered directly to students, conducted by JC Pohl, award winning author and producer of “Teen Truth’ and Caleb Campbell, West Point graduate and Former Kansas City Chief Linebacker, nationally known for his work around student mental health and resilience.

The CHSAA Webinars titled “Taking Care of You, when Your World has been Turned Upside Down” are about providing students with strategies for self-care and ownership in their social, physical and mental well-being during these unprecedented times. This opportunity will be offered statewide at no-charge to all students.

The seminars will focus on student-participants, embracing their feelings and creating internal coping skills to deal with the disruptions to their education, interscholastic activities participation and overall life due to the pandemic.

“It has been nine months since the pandemic initially shut down schools, activities, and the traditional norms our students have known that have shaped their world. The on-going uncertainty of when things are going to return normal produces anxiety in us all but more so for our kids where disruptions have left them questioning their place and identity during the pandemic,” CHSAA Commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green said.

“We, as educational leaders, need to provide our students with coping strategies and resilience in navigating their current world that has been turned upside down by decisions out of their control as a result of the negative impacts of COVID-19,” Commissioner Blanford-Green said. “We are excited to offer this webinar series that complements our current mental health initiatives.”

Registration information will be forwarded to schools on Saturday to get students enrolled in these statewide self-care student-driven outreaches.

To ensure any student who wants to attend will be able to, three webinars will be offered: One on Tuesday (3:30-4:30 p.m.), another Wednesday (6:30-7:30 p.m.), and one on Thursday (3:30-4:30 p.m.). Each webinar is free.