High School Stress

Standing Up To STRESS

High stress levels in teens are having detrimental effects on their health and well being.

STORY AND DESIGN BY BREAKING NEWS EDITOR MADDIE YOUNG, A&E EDITOR LUCY STOFER AND REPORTER MCKENNA HEEGN

As finals and college deadlines approach, the topic of academically motivated, they are looking to their future and stress becomes a common discussion thread. A good they are wanting to position themselves to be as successful as way to prepare for stress is to be informed about its possible when they are going to college. I think it’s part of the causes, effects and resolutions. So when stress occurs, culture here.” it can be identified and handled properly before it leads to The distinction between inevitable stress and toxic stress other serious health problems. can be defined in three different levels based on the severity of

Psychotherapist Dr. Kelly Jameson came to speak to the stress that one is feeling, according to Jameson. high school on Nov. 30 about stress in teens and the effects The first layer can simply be identified as stress, which that it can have. encompasses the general stress that students operate under

“Dr. Jameson spoke at the grade school two years ago and on a daily basis and the stress that helps to get things done. her and Mrs. Broderick used to work together and are good For example, this layer emcompasses general to-do lists and friends,” High School Division Head Natalie McDonough deadlines that act as motivators for staying organized and on said. “She did a great job, so I knew I wanted her to come top of assignments. speak at the high school.” The second layer is distress; in this layer one starts to lose

Though stress is magnified around deadlines and big control of her emotions and symptoms such as irritability tests, the feeling always exists. In high school students and withdrawal begin to appear. In this layer discouraging having to navigate the balancing act of juggling school and thoughts and negative self-talk can begin, leaving one in a extracurriculars, it is always present. When asked to rate frenzied state with no clear plan of action. This state can be the their stress on any given day on a scale from one to 10, one result of having too many commitments pile up at all at once, representing little to no stress and 10 representing a significant or not having enough time to complete the aforementioned amount of stress, students responded with an average stress tasks. level of 7.3, according to a school-wide survey with 205 The third and final layer can be identified as overload in student responses. which one is at her breaking point and the littlest thing can CAUSES “Overload is when we get to the point of having

Stress is inevitable. It provides motivation and allows meltdowns and crying aimlessly for hours,” Jameson said. “In tasks to be completed in a timely manner. For example, having some cases we can’t get out of bed or we are so irritable that deadlines and multiple responsibilities to attend to at once something small will set us off. Usually whatever sets us off is provokes a healthy stress level by allowing the skills of time not what we are actually upset about but our emotions have management and balance to be developed. been building for so long that that little thing is enough to

However, not all stress is healthy. Stress can transform send us over the edge.” meltdown. from this positive arena into a problem when extreme levels Jameson’s distinctions of stress into three layers are experienced continuously. This daily stress is a big issue show that serious problems and consequences in top private high schools where students experience many arise when stress reaches the levels of factors contributing to their stress level, according to an article “distress” and “overload.” from New York University about a survey conducted on the These two layers stress of students who attend highly selective private high demonstrate what schools. For instance, 49 percent of top high school students comes to mind who attend private high schools and have an average GPA of when the word 3.46 reported feeling a great deal of stress on a daily basis and stress is mentioned 31 percent reported feeling somewhat stressed, according to and are the two an exploratory study conducted by the New York University levels where College of Nursing in July of 2015. common

“I think it goes back to the kind of student that wants to

cause a meltdown, according to Jameson. come to Sion,” College Counselor Erin Stein said. “They’re Story continued on Page 16...

...Story continued from Page 15 procrastination provokes stress in a entirely new causes can amounts from waiting until the last minute to be easily identified. do projects or study for tests and not staying The causes of organized, according to Jameson. It can also be the “distress” and “overload” layers sourced from not managing time wisely or from vary far and wide and are different for being involved in too many things. every individual. School, family, friends, “I think in this community some of that work, finding a balance, being healthy, pressure is self inflicted because we have a lot of college, time management and excessive ambitious, highly motivated driven girls, type A homework top the list of stressors, according to students who want to do things right and may the school-wide survey. Jameson agreed with these be a little bit afraid of failure,” Stein said. “I think results. also being surrounded by other people that feel “I would say that academics and the pile up that way too heightens that sense of ‘I need to be of work top the list as the number one causes of perfect in order to get accepted into that school.’” stress in high school students,” Jameson said. “And Besides the division of academic stress, the the second cause would have to be problems with causes of stress can be broken up among grade friends.” levels, according to Ellwanger. For example, seniors When discussing the causes of academic have the added stress of applying to college and stress, the idea of perfectionism and the leaving family and friends, while juniors have a procrastinator mindset prevail as common sources. strenuous course load, are taking standardized tests For the type-A driven personalities, the and are starting to get involved in the college pool. issue of perfectionism For sophomores, stress comes from being stuck contends as one of the highest stressors. This “Perfectionism is not anything that mindset of needing to do everything perfect all the should be praised. It is an allusion and times is unrealistic and something that is unattainable.”is impossible to healthily maintain as to-do lists - Dr. Kelly Jameson, LPC continually grow longer and tasks become more difficult, according to Jameson. in a weird in between phase where encounters “Perfectionism is not anything that should with outside peer pressures are beginning, and be praised,” Jameson said. “It is an allusion and freshman’s stress stems from experiencing an something that is unattainable.” entirely new school and environment while trying This need for perfectionism, if not corrected to make new friends at the same time. appropriately, can lead to more negative side effects manner. Stress from procrastination usually and end up doing more harm than good. This idea is running rampant among the school’s students EFFECTS and the need for a balance and resolution is With the causes of “distress” and “overload” evident, according to Counselor Erika Ellwanger. identified, the next step is to take a look at what “I think a good portion of you girls put a results from these academic-based stresses. In ton of pressure on yourselves to be the top at these two layers, the feelings of being overwhelmed everything, especially academically, so I think and out of control prevail and start to affect that there is a lot of academic stress,” Ellwanger said. On the HOMEWORK GRADES a person’s physical and mental health. These stressed-out feelings trigger the body and brain to react in a way that can be destructive, especially if the feelings are not intercepted and reversed. other hand, FRIENDS SLEEP “We are seeing an increase in the rate of suicide attempts and successful suicides in TIME MANAGEMENT DRAMACOLLEGE teens across the country,” Dr. Michele Kilo, Director of the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Sciences at Children’s Mercy, said. “I really do believe that it is this crazy intersection of access to everything through electronics and social media, as well as extreme pressures to do everything so well.” The immediate reaction that the body has when placed under stress occurs in the amygdala which is located in the brain’s limbic system and controls emotions. The amygdala processes signals coming from the other senses and if any kind of threat is perceived, the amygdala reacts and sends messages to the rest of the brain that the body is in harm’s way, according to Harvard Health Publications. SCHOOL WORK BALANCE TESTS FAMILY SPORTS LIFE LIFE DRAMAHEALTH EXTRACURRICULARS FAMILY PRESSURE DEADLINES PERFECT TESTS JOB SO CIAL STUDYING SERVICE “We don’t think as clearly because we don’t maintain that high level of hypervigilance,” Psychology Teacher Linda Blasdel said.

The sympathetic OVERDRIVE nervous system then releases neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine into the brain and epinephrine into the rest of the body. DISTRESS These chemicals cause immediate physical reactions such as muscle tension, an increase in blood pressure (hypertension), a rapid STRESS heart rate, an increased breathing rate and an increase of blood flow to muscles. It also has less obvious effects such as decreasing metabolism, and slowing the digestive process, according to Harvard Health Publications.

“I think we all know that a little bit of stress is a good thing because it gets you up and gets you going,” Kilo said. “But when it’s chronic and you’re constantly feeling that pressure where your body is always producing an increase of stress hormones is where it can become damaging.”

Also in the brain a fight or flight hormone known as cortisol is released. This hormone is designed to give you the energy to get out of an unsafe environment, is released when symptoms of stress are felt, according to Jameson. This hormone is not designed to stay in the brain and is supposed to just peak and wane. But when students stay stressed, elevated levels of this hormone remain in the brain and cause problems of their own.

“The problem is when students stay stressed because this causes cortisol to become toxic and lead to migraines, fatigue, hypertension, and stomach ulcers,” Jameson said.

While quick reactions to stress help save lives in dangerous situations, the body is not designed to stay in this state. If the body is constantly in this stressful condition and has little to no time to relax and recover, it gets put in “overdrive” or a state of hyperarousal which can lead to stress disorders such as high blood pressure, headaches, muscle tension, stomachaches and other digestive problems and even mental illness, according to the Mayo Clinic.

“The more stressed we are, the more we run around like a chicken with our head cut off, and the more stressed we get,” Blasdel said. “We have to use our knowledge and kindness to ourselves to say ‘we need to take a break.”

The more noticeable effects of long term stress in teens can be feeling nervous, anxious, tired, procrastinating or neglecting responsibilities, feeling overwhelmed, having negative thoughts and experiencing changes in sleeping habits, according to the Mayo Clinic. Problems with concentrating and changes in eating habits (eating too much or too little) are also linked to stress.

“The other thing that has happened with this generations of teens is that you guys all go to bed with your phones so you have texts coming in and you’re not sleeping as well or as long as you should be,” Kilo said “So the lack of good solid sleep with the increase in stress hormones can potentially be

very damaging to your health.” to de-stressing is to stop thinking about what is

Students have so much going on in their lives, worrisome and causing negative thoughts. trying to maintain good grades in difficult classes One thing Blasdel recommends is exercise. when there are such high expectations to also have Take a walk, get into nature and out of the brain’s a job and keep their slew of extracurriculars like world of never-ending thoughts, because it is the sports as well. Most students have so much on their mind that is sent into overdrive when stress starts plate that this state of high stress has become the accumulating. Really focus on the surroundings of norm that they have to deal with. Hours of Sleep Reconmended nature, the squirrels burying nuts for the winter, the

“On any given day I Ages 6-13 leaves changing colors and have pretty high stress but it’s falling from the branches. become manageable because Ages 14-17 Through these close that’s just how it always is on observations one is allowed a daily basis,” senior Mayme Ages 18-25 to practice mindfulness Loyd said. and really be present in

As the school year go on, Ages 26-64 the here and now instead students’ plates just become of the permanent past or more and more full with a = 2 hours of sleep unforeseeable future. constant list of things to do “You aren’t thinking and catch up on. * According to the National Sleep Foundation about what just happened

“Everybody who says or what’s going to happen,” senior year is easy is lying. It’s basically the same Blasdel said. “You are in the present moment and thing as junior year if you’re taking challenging that is a real healthy place to be.” classes, but then add college, your senior service Something else Blasdel suggests is what she project, graduation, and everything else on top of calls “tend and befriend,” or give a hug-get a hug. that,” Loyd said. This process involves generating a hormone called These effects can be detrimental to the oxytocin that causes one to feel better. Oxytocin physical and mental health and highlight the is produced when an affectionate look is given to importance of finding the best ways for you to cope a person of endearment or when people give hugs with the stress that many teens feel. or cuddle. In general, the more oxytocin that is

While most stress stemming from school produced, the better and happier one is likely to and sports can’t be avoided, the key to handling feel. Even smiling at someone while walking down this stress is finding a resolution that best fits with the hall can cause oxytocin to be produced and one’s individual lifestyle. For example, activities therefore, a happier mood to be enlisted because like exercise, relaxing and taking a break from even though the smile might have been fake or technology help the mind grow. Often when one is intended for someone else, the fake smile will trick stressed they begin a to recall things that have been the brain and the same muscles will be in use as going wrong in the past few weeks and head into a those when happiness is truly felt. downward spiral, according to Blasdel. “[When] someone sees you smiling at them, you are going to get a smile back,” Blasdel said. RESOLUTIONS “We are social beings and the moods we have are contagious.”

Just as everyone has different and unique In a school-wide survey, students were things that they are stressed out by, everyone also asked how they cope with stress. Some of the has their own way to destress.Thoughts and actions most popular responses included: sleep, Netflix, actually improve the brain and neural networks, exercise and listening to music. But some students according to Blasdel. That is why the first step responded with different methods. Other successful techniques included talking to parents Sion vs. National Stress Average In Teens or upperclassmen, meditating and finding a On a scale of 1-10, 10 being overdrive stress healthy balance between work and play. 7.76 “If I start freaking out [my parents and I] Sophomore take a break and go on a walk or something to distract me,” junior Kaitlin Dervin said. 7.33 Unplugging from technology and social Junior media is another great way to de-stress by allowing time to strictly be spent alone. Kilo recommends 7.31 no more than three hours of screen time a School Total day, whether it be on a phone, watching TV or Senior 7.24 computer. “[Technology] is not giving your brain any rest time, to just be and think on your own. It’s just 6.95 a constant intervention that is interrupting your Freshmen thoughts,” Kilo said. “Even that brings pressure.” In maisons a new program has been 5.8 introduced that teachers are encouraged to talk National Teen about once a month. Wellness by Sion promotes *National average based off a survery from the seven different dimensions of wellness: social,

American Psychological Association emotional, occupational, physical, spiritual, **Grade average based off a survey of 210 students environmental and intellectual. Director of Community Wellness/Assistant Athletic Director Sarah Johnson describes the seven different dimensions as pieces of a puzzle that fit together. When one gets off balance, all the other follow, kind of like a ripple effect. Johnson is looking forward to the way this new program can play a role in the lives of students.

“I hope that students become mindful of these seven dimensions so that they can practice and be conscious of them throughout the rest of their lives,” Johnson said.

While stress is totally normal and necessary to be productive and motivated to get stuff done, the overload that teens are now experiencing is having serious effects on their mental and physical health.

“If we want to be good, healthy people we have to cut back on gettting stressed out,” Blasdel said. Even though school work can feel so overwhelming, it is important to keep personal health a priority. One’s mentality becomes their reality: meaning if one keeps thinking negatively and that it is impossible to get all of that work done, then it isn’t going to happen vs. taking it one step at a time. It is also important to disconnect from technology and give your brain rest time to just be and think on it’s own, according to Kilo.

“And if we could get to the point of that’s how we’re living,” Kilo said, “and we were mediating that constant draw to our phones to look things up or be snapchatting, it would provide a much healthier brain environment.”

TIPS FROM STUDENTS...

Senior Honor Schleicher, National

Merit Commended Student

“I usually listen to music when

I’m stressed. Sometimes I like to go for a run too. When you’re really stressed out it’s good to take a break.”

Junior Afton Fennewald, goalkeeper for nationally ranked soccer team

“When I’m really stressed I like to drop everything and sleep. If I have practice and I’m stressed I just drop everything and go to practice.”

Freshman Helen Willis, member of the golf team

“I like to turn [my missing assignments] in as soon as

I can. When I am feeling stressed out I usually go for walks and listen to music.”

A Walk on Wall Street

Awoman clad in black from head to toe strolls into the building. Suddenly, “Back in Black” by AC/ DC begins to play over the speakers. A can of hairspray is shaken and sprayed on her short highlighted hair. In the bleachers underclassmen whisper with each other, “Who is that?” they ask, unsure of why all the upperclassmen are laughing. As she sits down and opens her laptop it becomes clear who she is. The nametag on her computer reads “Wall.” However, this isn’t the real Wall but rather alumna Blair Allen’s interpretation of her in the 2015 Senior Food for Thought skit.

This only leaves one question in the minds of those who don’t know her - Who is Wall?

Graphic design and photoshop teacher Carole Wall-Simmons, affectionately called “Wall” by students and teachers alike, has been teaching here for 10 years. But this is the 45th year of her noteworthy teaching career - a career that wouldn’t have happened if not for her grandfather, Chauncey Lewis. However, she never wanted to be a teacher. Instead, Wall wanted to be a reporter at the Kansas City Star and then a magazine editor in New York. Before enrolling in college, Lewis convinced her otherwise. With coaxing from her student-teaching supervisor, Wall went to an interview for a journalism, introduction to mass communications, yearbook and newspaper teacher at Grandview High School. “I was very nonplussed during the interview,” Wall said. “Then Bill

McCrary, principal at GHS and later the father I never had, and Chauncey reincarnated, leaned across the desk and asked ‘Miss Kidwell, what is a teacher?’” To Wall, a teacher was someone that had to be there for their students. It seemed like all of her past teachers were old, and couldn’t care less about their students. Wall was offered the job, but still wasn’t going to take it. Her then fiance, Tom Wall, wanted her to sign the contract since they were getting married soon and she could just stay there for a year. She signed the contract and began teaching in August of 1971.

“After my first week I was amazed at how much I loved it and said I’d teach for free,” Wall said. “I still feel that way 44 years later.”

Growing up, Wall lived with her mother, Betty Lewis, who was a model in print advertisements and commercials. While living in Cleveland, Ohio, and for many different periods in her life, Lewis lived with her and her mother. It wasn’t an easy childhood. They moved from Cleveland, Ohio to Warrensburg, Missouri where her grandfather lived when Wall was four. It was here that Lewis stepped in again to help and often stayed with them. One of the reasons for this was her mother’s addiction to alcohol.

“[Chauncey] always said he only did it for me and I truly believe this because he didn’t know what she would do,” Wall said.

Wall went on to attend Southwest High School in Kansas City. While in high school, her mother’s fourth husband Neil Storck, who was a master sergeant in the Air Force, suddenly died, causing Betty to spiral downward. Again, Lewis had to return to living with them. The doctors wanted Lewis to commit her mother to the mental hospital for the second time.

“I can remember running out that front door to grandfather because now all I could think of was how [my mother] was my whole responsibility,” Wall said. “So I ran out to grandfather and I’m sobbing and I said ‘What am I going to do?’ and he said ‘Well I’ll help you. I’ll take care of her. We’ll take care of her.’”

Through it all, Lewis encouraged Wall to finish high school strong. Education was very important to both of Wall’s grandparents. Both were teachers and wanted Wall to go to college. With very little money available, Wall didn’t believe this would happen.

“[Chauncey] and Grandmother were always so focused on education,” Wall said. “They both had their master’s degrees, which was very unusual for a man born in 1888 and especially for a woman born in 1901.”

Lewis knew Ben Davis, who was a five-star general in the Air Force. Davis was able to pull some strings and got Wall a scholarship to college because of Storck’s service in the military. She attended college in Warrensburg, at what is now known as the University of Central Missouri. While here, she joined a sorority that helped her meet one of her lifelong friends Pat Bock. Often, Bock and Wall would go down to Lewis’s house for dinner and a visit.

“Carole’s grandfather was an important figure in her life. Carole’s mother was not a stable person so her grandfather was her rock,” Bock said. “I remember he and his wife were very interesting people. I always felt he was the one constant person in her life which made it easy to understand why he was so important to her. He was intelligent, well educated and well