Wellness Center (2025-2026)
Summit High School is a continuation high school serving students facing significant personal and academic challenges. Grant funds will allow us to expand a wellness initiative that provides free personal hygiene products and educational resources to approximately 500 socioeconomically disadvantaged students. Many of our students juggle school with part-time jobs to help support their families, often at the cost of their well-being and academic success. Lack of access to basic hygiene items can lead to embarrassment, isolation, and lower self-esteem, negatively affecting attendance and engagement. This project will offer a safe, stigma-free space where students can access essential supplies—such as soap, deodorant, toothpaste, and menstrual products—helping to build confidence, improve school participation, and foster a greater sense of dignity, confidence and belonging. With this support, we aim to eliminate barriers to learning and ensure all students have the resources they need to thrive.
Contact: Rocio Lopez
Email: rocio.lopez@desertsands.us
Phone: (760)238-9720 Ext. 43213
Wellness Workshops - Using Expressive Arts to Support Well-Being (2024-2025)
The Youth Wellness Workshops will engage high school age students in art activities to promote social and emotional well-being. Two themed activities will be creating a zen garden and a personalized skateboard image with the directive, "Where I am going” or a “Future goal I envision”. Each activity focuses on areas of social emotional skills of emotional regulation or self-management and positive relationships with peers. Structured sessions/events will be provided to guide the students in the activities to teach the importance of self-regulation and positive relations as a life skill. The structured opportunities for students to access expressive arts materials include 2 Mental Health Wellness Fairs, Wellness Wednesday Lunch time activities, Wellness Center visits, social emotional group activities facilitated by Wellness staff, and/or individual sessions with students who are receiving social emotional support.
Contact: Laura Garcia
Email: laura.garcia@desertsands.us