Churchlands SHS Blue Tree Project
Article on Stirling Times 2 July 2021
Churchlands SHS students paint tree blue for mental health awareness
Nadia Budihardjo | Stirling Times July 2, 2021 3:54PM
海角社区 is the latest addition to the growing list of places with trees painted blue in support of mental health.
The Blue Tree project is a national initiative encouraging people to speak up while reducing the stigma associated with mental health.
Churchlands SHS students grabbed a paintbrush to make their mark on a tree at the oval last week.
Head girl Jess Hazeldine, 17, said painting the tree blue represented a permanent commitment to tackling mental health issues.
鈥淚t鈥檚 symbolic in that way that it鈥檚 us students 鈥 we鈥檙e doing something about it,鈥 she said.
鈥淚t means a lot because it shows we鈥檙e taking an active part in the issue of mental health in youth.
鈥淏y taking part in painting the tree blue, it鈥檚 just showing that we鈥檙e so receptive of what mental health is and it鈥檚 an issue that we鈥檙e trying to combat as a school.鈥
Acting Junior School association principal Lisa Campbell said the community did not need to come into the school to see the tree.
鈥淚t鈥檚 more than just one day of awareness, it鈥檚 there all the time,鈥 she said.
鈥淲here the tree is positioned so the community can see it openly as they go past the school really makes that connection stronger as well.鈥
School board elected parent member Genevieve McSporran said Churchlands SHS would be registered on the Blue Tree website, along other locations in the country.
鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of joining with the broader communities within WA that we are all united in this issue,鈥 she said.
Churchlands SHS also held bake stalls, with proceeds towards women empowerment organisation Zonta.
