This spring, West Albany’s very first annual mental health week will take place. An event aimed to help highlight and destigmatize the mental health crisis throughout our nation. The week is full of motivational messages and school-wide events that intend to help kids know the importance of understanding their mental health. This new addition to the West Albany calendar was the main driving point of junior Dima Stein’s election campaign last spring. But Stein chose to add this to his campaign not to win, but because it was inspired by his own personal experience.

     Stein has always been involved. Both in and outside of school. He is a part of the leadership team, both wind ensemble and jazz band, plays men’s volleyball, and is a part of the student government council. At the beginning of his sophomore year, the weight of all of his activities started to catch up to him. The addition of AP classes this year has added another thing to his already busy plate.

     “I was tired all the time,” Stein said.

     Growing up, Stein never thought that he would be affected by mental health problems. He had a solid support system, a loving family, and comfort in his religion. 

     “I [am] known as someone who’s supposed to be extroverted and happy,” Stein said. Despite the privilege of having a strong support system, he was not excluded from the effects of stress and poor mental health. “I woke up, and I was just so tired of being tired.”

     The main reason he was able to get through this hard time was because of the people around him. This experience caused Stein to understand just how impactful things like depression can be on anybody’s life. “[Mental health problems] can happen to anybody. And it’s just unfortunate that not everybody is blessed to have a stable, loving family [as] I do.”

 To Stein, being at West Albany means that “we’re all a big family,” and with that, the main goal of Mental Health Week is to be that support system for all of the students in the school. To be the family that some don’t have. He plans to do this through a series of activities throughout the week, highlighting resources and helping kids get the things that they need.

     Stein’s main goal spans outside of the activities and lessons that will take place. His main goal is to make sure “everybody knows that, ‘hey, I’m loved, and I am part of the family and culture at West Albany.” 

     To him, the students and staff are one large West Albany family, and the school motto reigns true. Once a bulldog, always a bulldog.