U.S. education secretary tours Santa Fe High School
Apr. 22—U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and Sen. Ben Ray Luján toured Santa Fe High School on Thursday to discuss the importance of mental health services and hear from students.
Cardona said most of the students he spoke to said the pandemic affected them more emotionally than academically.
"They suffered loss of family members and friends, and we need to make sure to reimagine our schools to be schools that offer social and emotional support, like we saw here today," Cardona said. "I heard from students that said that part of their school day was being part of a restorative circle where they get to heal together as a community."
Luján said: "What was most powerful was listening to the students. The stories each of them entrusted to myself and the secretary ... [were] absolutely moving; it was very emotional. But every one of them [served as a] reminder of how important these programs are, especially now that we are reopening."
The pair visited the high school's Teen Health Center — which offers medical care and mental health services to students — and talked to staff about the ways they offer help.
"We are accessible. If there are issues that come up where a student needs a safety assessment or they are suicidal, we are able to handle it right here," said Santa Fe High School lead counselor Leslie Tapia.
The Teen Health Center is part of Presbyterian Medical Services' school-based health network, which places health care experts in schools across New Mexico. PMS has an agreement with the school to provide same-day suicide prevention.
Cardona and Luján also visited the school's food drive, run by students.
"We realized that the pandemic really put families through a lot with struggling [with] income, so we really just wanted to reach out and help," said 17-year-old senior Ariana Prada.
The students work in partnership with The Food Depot — a nonprofit food bank that serves Northern New Mexico — to provide food packages to Santa Fe High School families in need, Prada said.
Prada and fellow student government members Valeria Ramirez, Carissa Anaya, Mia Alderete and Jenna Nassar help run the food drive and pass out food in a judgment-free environment.
"That's one of the most important things you can learn in high school, how to serve others," Cardona told the girls.
Luján credited federally funded programs such as the American Rescue Plan and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act to fund services like the school's Teen Health Center and food drive.
"Those dollars are translating to providing support for the programs we saw today. Being able to hire more counselors, more engagements, more mental-behavioral health support [and] more food programs," Luján said.
Cardona and Luján said they hope to see services that support students — like the ones offered in Santa Fe High School — in schools across the state, including some of New Mexico's more isolated communities.
"I know our rural communities are often dealing with different challenges, and I want to make sure the funds through the American Rescue Plan meet them where they are," Cardona said. "We need to use those funds and think outside the box like they do here in this school to make sure students needs are being met, whatever they are."
Luján said he expects programs like the ones at Santa Fe High School to reach more schools but would still need support from both sides of the aisle.
"With the Congress in power, Secretary Cardona and President Biden, there is no question we can continue to grow this," Luján said.
