By Sofia Williams
News Editor
Mira Costa’s new Student Union opened its doors on Dec. 9 to provide a space for students to relax during the school day.
The Student Union is open during A.M. and P.M. office hours for students to study or work on group projects. Additionally, organized activities such as yoga and meditation are hosted by administration.
“While working with [Daniel] Pestle [Costa vice President], we [the SEL Committee] thought that the pandemic was taking a toll on students’ well being, and especially their mental health,” said SEL Committee Member Gabriella Fish. “We thought that a wellness center would be a great contribution to Costa students as a response to the concerns raised in the student mental health questionnaires that we received.”
The idea behind the Student Union was created with the intent of expanding and improving Mira Costa’s “calming room,” according to Pestle.
“In the Social-Emotional Learning [SEL] Committee last year, we were talking about spaces to expand the calming room in the health office, which was really tiny,” said Pestle. “We started to look for spaces that were a little bigger, where we could put more chairs and sofas, and add speakers and facilitators.”
According to Pestle, the main goal of the Student Union is to further Costa’s “Culture of Care” and encourage students to interact with one another. Additionally, the Student Union is intended to be a “neutral space” not associated with any particular class or subject, according to Pestle.
“I believe that the student union turned out very well; it is a very calm space, which was its main purpose,” said Fish. “The location is surrounded by a garden that hides it away from the rest of the loud school environment.”
According to Pestle, the first step to constructing the Student Union was finding the space. Then, a group of students and administrators passionate about the project had to be assembled. After approval from MBUSD was obtained, Pestle and the SEL Committee worked with Costa administration to make sure the space would be available to students.
“We looked for student ideas on how to use the Student Union, how to decorate it, when it should be open, and what types of activities should be offered,” said Pestle. “If students know that there is a safe space for them on campus, I think that overall it’s going to improve the social-emotional wellness of the student body at Costa.”
Facilitators include teachers and administrators, as well as MBUSD district counselor Eliza Santarosa, all of whom aim to provide students with assistance in reducing stress and create a calming environment in the space.
“[The Student Union] is a place for any type of activity that can reduce stress,” said Pestle. “We really want to cultivate a caring environment for students who might be feeling stress or anxiety.”
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