Pineda 1

Ofelia Pineda

Professor Smith

ENGL 1021.96

12 Dec. 2022

Bridging the Gap Between Students and Mental Fitness

As we progress through our lives, we are often faced with problems that only seem to be

more difficult than the ones that came before. At one point, these problems may reach the point

where they become too overwhelming to manage by oneself. In addition to this, most individuals

become busier as they get older, leaving them with less downtime to work these problems out.

While this situation can apply to anyone, this is a very common predicament for high school

students, especially for students who find themselves swarmed by busy work on a daily basis.

Because of this, students may end up feeling helpless and exhausted, yet they may also feel that

they must also keep these issues to themselves. Although mental health has been a topic

prevalent in many schools as well as Mahtomedi High School, students often refuse the open

opportunity to see a counselor, and only utilize counselors’ guidance for school-related matters

rather than personal issues that should be brought into light. Therefore, Mahtomedi High School

should establish a peer facilitator office consisting of students trained by counselors because it

will be more comfortable for students to open up about their problems and advocate for

themselves, especially to their peers.

Much like how schools have student tutors for certain subjects and grades, having a

student emulate a role similar to a counselor’s can encourage students to open up about their

school-related concerns as well as exercise emotional openness in the student body. Having these
 Pineda 2

student mentors available will be more attractive to other students, as they will not be as

intimidated about expressing their feelings as opposed to having to open up to an adult who most

students find little to no commonalities with. This is not limited to personal and emotional issues,

however, as this openness can also help with figuring out where exactly a student may need

assistance in a certain academic area. In a 2016 model proposed by social workers Elizabeth

Harbeck Voshel and Shoshana Hurand of the University of Michigan, integrating a peer-

facilitator-to-student model within a literature class can actually benefit students on both sides.

According to the results of the source, facilitators gain the benefit of better understanding the

challenges students face in the subject, while the students participating in the facilitation develop

a better sense of trust and comfort expressing their opinions within the class. This model may

have been optimized for students in the literature class mentioned in this source, but it still

follows the same format for a general student peer facilitator program in the high school, which

has the potential to have students benefit from the experience.

Unless a student displays extremely negative behavior, such as acting out in class or

visibly misbehaving, it is often easy for the school to overlook more subtle, concerning behaviors

that some students may exhibit. This often results in many of these students feeling unheard, as

well as feeling invalidated themselves, because they are not at a “level” where they need to seek

counseling. In an article written by Melissa Ezarik, a journalist for the news hub Student Voice,

many students have been visibly struggling after the pandemic, but few actually take advantage

of the resources and help that is always available. According to one of the statistics provided in

the article, only 15% of students utilized the counseling services available within the college. If a

peer facilitator office were enforced within the school, then students part of this organization will

be more likely to recognize students who may need counseling. Because these students are more
 Pineda 3

involved within the student community, they can easily identify peers who may need assistance

during a difficult time, especially if they happen to be a close friend or acquaintance. In this case,

peer facilitators can reach out to these individuals and offer them company in order to help ease

the situation. However, if matters are serious, they can refer that individual to a counselor/social

worker in the school, as well as helping them find time to meet said counselor/social worker.

When facilitators meet with students who have concerns that do not hold the same

magnitude as issues that should be addressed to a counselor/social worker, peer facilitators may

actually find it easier to empathize with another student’s problems as well as help them navigate

the situation. While a counselor may be able to provide better guidance, student facilitators are

able to help students take the first step in advocating for themselves in regards to their personal

issues. In a study published in 2014 conducted by Khe Foon Hew, the Associate Dean of the

University of Hong Kong, Hew discusses how asynchronous contact between facilitators and

students can actually strengthen connections within the mentorship. One result of this learning

approach showed that participants (students) “felt more at ease” because they often worry about

saying something that is potentially wrong to the instructor (counselor). Because there is less of a

sense of authority present within the discussion being shared by the facilitator and the student,

there is a better likelihood of openness regarding the issues at hand.

Granted, there will be drawbacks with this process as student mentors can only do so

much to help their peers in serious situations, even with proper training. In a 2021 model

proposed by instruction librarians Jonathan Cornforth and Sarah Parramore of the California

State University, scheduling a facilitation session can prove challenging as the facilitator may not

always be available. While this source is discussing this issue regarding a different learning

environment, this also applies to a general school environment perspective. One of the main
 Pineda 4

reasons that students are unable to reach out to a counselor is often due to their busy, hectic

schedules, making it more difficult to find a good time to ask for guidance. However, in the

absence of a counselor, peer facilitators can help relieve some duties for counselors who are

already busy. Once the counselor finds time for their students after working with school-related

matters, the peer facilitator can either follow up with the counselor or assist in setting a time with

the student they were “counseling.” Like any other individual, peer facilitators have personal

concerns of their own that even they may need counseling for. This can potentially leave them in

a scenario where the student is not well-equipped enough to aid another student during a time of

need. According to a 2018 study on a similar model written by Associate Deans Michael C.

Brown and Audrey B. Kostrezewa, there are limitations to training processes that can be carried

out for facilitators-in-training, which may hinder the facilitation experience. Students, especially

in high school, only have so much life experience to derive their advice from, which is a crucial

element in counseling that cannot be taught by counselors alone. In addition, students’ emotional

intelligence can vary from one person to another, ranging from high to low. This can also

determine a peer facilitator’s ability to take on issues that can be emotionally difficult to process,

either due to lack of experience or a poor ability to view someone’s situation from a different

perspective. While proper guidance from multiple counselors will be provided for peer

facilitators in training, there is a possibility that there is only such a high extent to what can be

taught to these individuals in a short period of time, especially towards high school students.

Despite the fact that trained students may not hold the same amount of expertise a

counselor has, their connection with the rest of the consultation staff can allow their referral to an

authorized counselor when faced with difficult topics or more serious matters. As more students

become involved within the student peer facilitator program, this strengthens the connection
 Pineda 5

between not only the facilitators, but the facilitated students as well. Availability issues can

easily be avoided as well. Tracing back to Hew’s 2014 study touching on different learning

styles, the article also touches on students’ preferences in regards to peer facilitation sessions.

These preferences include asynchronous learning as well as synchronous learning. One benefit

that was mentioned in the asynchronous facilitation approach is that students are better able to

voice out their opinions and insights, rather than wording said concerns in a way that would

please the instructor/counselor. Because of the flexibility within the peer-facilitation model, this

can allow facilitated students to become more accustomed within the program from a more

passive approach until they become comfortable enough to potentially want to meet and discuss

in person.

The topic of mental health and self-advocating has been prevalent in many schools, but

there seems to be little being done to act on issues regarding these topics. Students are often

reluctant to talk to school counselors as they are often intimidated, or hold on to the predisposed

belief that even an adult would not have the ability to understand the extent of their problems,

regardless if they are school-related or not. Having student facilitators trained by counselors

should be able to bridge this gap, as these trained students can work as a stepping stone towards

self-advocating for themselves, building up this specific skill as their life goes forward. In

addition, students with mental health issues are more likely to open up to the mentors who also

happen to be their peers. However, this does not mean a peer-facilitator bears all the

responsibilities an actual counselor may have. For more serious matters, facilitators always have

the option of recommending a counselor for advice, with some initial help provided with the best

of their abilities. While there may be challenges ahead, having more people available to help
 Pineda 6

with a range of issues can aid in decreasing stress and encouraging openness within the students

of Mahtomedi High School.

 Pineda 7

Works Cited

Brown, Michael C., and Audrey B. Kostrzewa. “Implementation and Evaluation of Near-

Peer Facilitated Journal Club Activities in a Required MLE Course Series.”

American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, vol. 82, no. 8, Oct. 2018, p.

6718, 10.5688/ajpe6718. Accessed 5 Dec. 2022. This source is about integrating a

group of peer facilitators into a journaling club in a methodical, planned way in

order to encourage participation and inclusiveness within its members. This

source is credible because it was published within the last ten years, and the

authors are affiliated with the Concordia University Wisconsin School of

Pharmacy. This source will help me in writing my paper as beneficial results have

been provided after integrating the peer facilitator group into the club.

Ezarik, Melissa. “Students Struggling but Not Seeking Campus Mental Health Support.”

Www.insidehighered.com, 14 Apr. 2021,

www.insidehighered.com/news/2021/04/14/students-struggling-not-seeking-

campus-mental-health-support. This source discusses the issue of how students do

not take advantage of the availability of counselors in their college institutions,

despite how counselors are often advertised as “help centers” for students who are

struggling with schoolwork or other related problems. This source is credible as it

has been published within the last ten years, and the author specializes in college-

related issues. This will help my paper as it involves a few good reasons why

students may be hesitant in reaching out for help, even when it is always

available..
 Pineda 8

Hew, Khe Foon. “Student Perceptions of Peer versus Instructor Facilitation of

Asynchronous Online Discussions: Further Findings from Three Cases.”

Instructional Science, vol. 43, no. 1, 2015. JSTOR,

www.jstor.org/stable/43575273. Accessed 5 Dec. 2022. This source discusses

asynchronous interactions between students and teachers and compares the

outcomes in each interaction. This source is credible because it has been

published within the last ten years, and the author is an Associate Dean in the

University of Hong Kong. Although this source focuses mainly on asynchronous

interactions, this can support my paper as it reinforces the fact that students find it

easier to discuss personal views to other students rather than individuals who are

older than them (e.g. their instructor).

Jonathan Cornforth, and Sarah Parramore. “Student Educators as Facilitators of Learning:

A Model for Peer Education in Academic Library Instruction.” The Journal of

Creative Library Practice, 10 Aug. 2021,

creativelibrarypractice.org/2021/08/10/student-educators/. Accessed 5 Dec. 2022.

This source discusses peer-assisted learning specifically in academic library

environments. It also discusses how one may support and improve on the program

to induce better results, as well as mentioning any difficulties that may be

encountered along the way. This source is credible as it has been published within

the last ten years, and the authors, which are instruction librarians at the

California State University’s library, have written this source based on their

observations and experiences using this learning model. This will help my paper

as said observations and experiences will be able to provide a framework for what
 Pineda 9

can be expected when trying to integrate a similar learning model into a high

school environment.

Voshel, Elizabeth Harbeck, et al. “Utilizing Student/Peer-Facilitators to Create a

Dynamic Field Seminar Learning Environment : The Field Educator.” Field

Educator Journal, 2016, fieldeducator.simmons.edu/article/utilizing-studentpeer-

facilitators-to-create-a-dynamic-field-seminar-learning-environment/. Accessed 5

Dec. 2022. This source is about potentially improving the work environment

through means of peer facilitation in the University of Michigan School of Social

work as many students found issues in the learning format to them. This source is

credible as it has been published in the last ten years, and the author is a licensed

clinical social worker, has a credential in the Academy of Certified Social

workers, and is affiliated with the University of Michigan. This source can

support my paper as it provides firsthand information regarding the positive

experiences using this approach from both perspectives.