In the rush of school life, it is easy to forget the power of a few kind words. Chinthe Connections is a new service learning group that creates opportunities for students to share feelings and concerns. The group’s first major event was the Gratitude Wall – a space near the gym where students can pause, reflect, and share what they’re most thankful for.

The concept was simple: write or draw a message of gratitude and add it to a wall. It could be for a friend, a family member, or even for yourself. The goal? To remind students that gratitude isn’t just a gesture. Expressing gratitude is a win-win: it feels good to say thank you, and it feels good to be thanked. Expressing gratitude reduces stress by taking your mind to a calm place and breaking the cycle of negativity we often fall into. A single note might be the teaspoon of change that someone needs. Chinthe Connections wanted to do something to help relieve the stress some high school students are feeling in the lead-up to their end-of-year exams.

Behind the scenes, Yunn Nway Lin, student leader of Chinthe Connections, noted that bringing this project to life took collaboration. Faculty supervisors Mr. A-G and Mr. Kavanagh handled the logistics, from securing the supplies to coordinating with the Secondary Office. The students ensured that the activity would be engaging by providing a space where each student could reflect and write down what they felt grateful for – every student’s voice was heard.

The Gratitude Wall is more than just sticky notes on a bulletin board. It is a pause from our busy schedules, a reminder that taking care of your own mental health isn’t a distraction from productivity, but the foundation of it. As Chinthe Connections believes, “Take some time to sit back, relax, and breathe,” because sometimes change starts small, or in this case, through a slip of paper.

By Leanna (grade 10)

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