Psychology Honor Society Promotes Self-Awareness

Ferguson’s Psychology Honor Society (PHS) has been coordinating creative and consistent events throughout the past couple of months that are meant to boost mental health awareness in our student body. During the last week of January, PHS organized a new event that promoted a way for students to create goals and organize their thoughts. This week-long event, called Self Concept and Self-Identity, took place from Wednesday through Friday during both lunches, concentrated on an individual’s self-concept.

“This self-concept event is intended for everyone to get to know themselves a little better while still having fun,” said junior Sofia Pinero, PHS event organizer. “I felt like this event is necessary because it allows a break from what is expected of you and what you think other people want from you and it allows you [to] think of what you want to accomplish, while also making yourself think about how you’re important and special in your own way.”

PHS has a unique mentoring program where seniors act as mentors to the junior members. The mentors take turns creating events each month and choose a mentee to organize them in order to put those leadership skills learned to the test. 

“Throughout my high school years, I’ve learned a lot about myself,” says senior Juliette Cortes. Cortes is Sofia Pinero’s mentor and overlooks other mentees in order to create these types of events for PHS. “I’m a very indecisive person, so getting in touch with my identity is going to be very important in the future and I wanted to create activities that will help other students do that as well. It took creativity in order to make the students [get] involved… I wanted to make it a “hands-on” experience.”

The self-concept event had one activity per day and took place in front of the stage. The first activity was called Wellness Wednesday where the student body writes their goals down on a piece of paper and sticks it on a wall. During Thumbs Up Thursday, people scattered out fingerprints on a positivity banner with different colors. The last activity was Fresh Feelings Fridays where students receive a slip that says, “I am…” and are able to fill in the blank with what describes them best. Afterward, participating students had the opportunity to pose for a picture with props set up on the table. 

“These activities target students who are struggling with their identity,” claims junior Natalie Oliver, a PHS student who helped organize this event. “This event helps to promote self-love and self-awareness for who you are. My favorite activity this week would have to be the Fresh Feelings Friday. Mostly because I am able to personally see the joy in the students’ faces when they are taking pictures with their friends and they have positive things to say about themselves.”

PHS was created to promote these types of events, in fact, their goal is to make John A. Ferguson a more inclusive, positive, and safe place for all Falcons. Make sure to be on the lookout for more events coming in the next months!