Aleek Tekehyan is a senior at Glendale High School, and she is the president of the Mental Health Awareness Club. Besides this, she is also involved in the water polo team, she was a part of this year’s Homecoming Court, and she loves taking walks with her friends and reading. Her favorite book series is A Series of Unfortunate Events.
What made you become interested in mental health?
It’s partially because I personally have my own struggles, and my friends also have struggles of their own. [I saw] them not knowing what to do in school and not having places to sit at lunch.
There can be something for people like me here at school who need help, or just need a place where they can just sit and relax. I love helping my friends, and I like to educate myself on exactly what I’m saying and not having wrong information.
What goes on during club meetings?
Our club meets three times a month, and each meeting is something else. Our first meeting is usually informational. Our most recent was about college applications, [and] transitioning into college.
The meeting after, we call it Wellness Day, and those meetings we always do something fun to just relax. We have painted pumpkins…and we always have music playing and food.
The meeting after is mostly optional; it’s where we recap and talk about what we want in the next meeting. It’s also if you want a place to sit and not be in the quad because it might be too loud.
How will this club benefit GHS students?
It will make them more informed and [offer them a] great community here. So it’s breaking the stigma of this idea of not being able to talk about mental health. People might feel as if it’s embarrassing and not cool, and it’s mostly guys.
This club makes it an easier topic to talk about, so that people feel as if they don’t have to hide. [They shouldn’t need] to think it’s something embarrassing.
Why do you think people should join this club? 
Partially to make new friends and have a place to be at lunch. But also to stay informed and be prepared if [you or] one of your friends [is] facing something and you want to go about it the right way and you want to do it in a safe way as well. It’s a safe place, and it has become a great environment for people to stay with their friends and have fun.
By far, Aleek is a great club president, and she loves helping out her peers who are in need. She has been helping out the Nitro community with mental health, which is a very important topic, and being educated is a number one key.
If you have any questions about the Mental Health Club, or are in need of help, please contact Ms. Palmer at [email protected] or follow them on Instagram: @mhaclub_ghs.
