Students at Clover Hill High School have been participating in SchoolConnect, emotional and social support lessons, during homeroom classrooms every Wednesday since the beginning of the school year.

According to its official website, the purpose of SchoolConnect is to give teens an “Owner’s Manual” for life instead of learning things the hard way. SchoolConnect’s curriculum is made up of skill-building tasks, relationship skills, and protective factors against things like bullying. As stated by math teacher Nolan Doyle, SchoolConnect helps students deal with regular stressors.

“SchoolConnect addresses thinking about some of the pressures and day-to-day stressors that students and teenagers face and how to help them deal with it, and kind of reflect on that,” Doyle said.

Guidance Counselor Carrie Setina says that SchoolConnect is a time for students to get in touch with their emotions, as well as time for them to connect with their fellow students.

“It’s just a time for you guys to learn more about how to get in touch with your emotions or socially connect with your peers in a classroom setting,” Setina said.

Additionally, freshman Brennon Sarro thinks that SchoolConnect makes the school better in many ways.

“It’s like a positive environment,” Sarro said.

Sarro also states that he has learned some valuable skills from the program.

“I’ve learned how to create a positive school and how to help my peers,” Sarro said.

Setina adds that the lessons help the students by adding resources.

“[They’re] built into the school day [and] are supposed to be added resources for the students to utilize,” Setina said.

Overall, the SchoolConnect program seems to have helped students in more ways than one, and both teachers and students have had to adapt to add these lessons to their growing schedules.