PEORIA Ill. – Recent statistics from the American Institute of Stress indicate – students in middle school, high school, and college are feeling more stressed than ever…
Experts say, seven out of ten students in the US, aged 13-18, identify anxiety or depression as major issues for themselves, or their peers.
Illinois Central College Director of Counseling Services, Brooke Poling, says she sees it from students fresh out of high school.
“Going to college for the first time, which is obviously stressful. Many of our students hold other roles as well, whether that be a parent or a full-time employee somewhere. Most of our students are actually part-time students, because they are doing other things,” Brooke Poling said.
Poling adds, ICC has an extensive list of counseling services and resources available to students.
Experts also say, on a 10-point scale, where adult stress averages 3.8, American teens rate their stress at 5.8 – according to the stress institute.
Pekin Edison Junior High, Instructional Coach, Traci Peters attributes a lot of that, to social media.
“Because outside of here, so much does take place on social media — and that can be an uplifting thing, but it can also bring them down, so I think we have a lot of kids, that makes them sad,” Traci Peters said.
Pekin schools recently started doing “Advisory Periods” daily for students — providing safe spaces, to share their feelings.
Pekin Edison Junior High principal, Bill Heisel, shares what he believes got us to this point.
“Social media is a huge one, that we deal with a lot. I think that has created an uptick, in not only bullying but anxiety as well — just because kids are exposed to things, so much, all the time,” Bill Heisel said.
Officials with both ICC and the Pekin School District, assure parents and students, help is available.
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