Testimonial Archives

 City Council Meeting 03/18/2024

Devan Williams

New London High School, 11th grade Student

Hello,

My name is Devan Williams and I am a student from New London High School. I am currently in 11th grade. I am here to talk about how the city council can help maintain these positions that are necessary for our school by prioritizing education in the city budget. Our school is at risk of losing some important positions like wellness interventionists that benefit students and teachers. To be honest this isn’t really directly relevant to me because I haven’t had an experience where I’ve had to talk to them but I know and have heard a lot of times that the wellness interventionists have helped someone in many different situations and have seen they are people you could always go to. I feel as though school without them would be way less controlled and there would be way more fights. This is because instead of people taking out their anger and fighting there are people that you could talk to release your anger and issues too and without that i don’t think school would be the same. I feel that it impacts my learning in a good way because teachers and students can be more focused in class instead of fights and altercations which will help all of us be better students. This is why I am here to talk about why the city council should help maintain these positions by prioritizing education in the city budget because it will help keep jobs for our wellness interventionists which help school be an all around better and safer place to be at. Thank you for your time 

Amaya 

New London High School, 11th grade Student

Hello, my name is Amaya. I am a Junior at New London High School, which I have attended since my freshman year. As a passionate advocate for education reform and student well-being, I am advocating for more funding for the schools. Providing more funding for the schools will help keep jobs like the wellness interventionists. These professionals play a pivotal role in fostering a positive and supportive environment for students. Having experienced the support of individuals like Ms. Charity, a wellness interventionist at our school, I can attest to the transformative impact they have on resolving conflicts and promoting emotional well-being. Ms. Charity has been a guiding light for me during challenging times, providing a safe space to confide in and offering thoughtful resolutions to conflicts with fellow students. Her approach goes beyond mere mediation; she empowers students to develop essential conflict resolution skills, fostering a culture of empathy and understanding. Through her guidance, I've learned the importance of effective communication and empathy in resolving conflicts, skills that are invaluable both inside and outside the classroom. I urge the city council to increasingly prioritize funding for education in the city budget to make it possible to permanently implement wellness interventionists in schools, as their impact is undeniable and invaluable. Thank you.

Appropriations Committee Hearing 03/15/2024

Destiny Underwood

New London High School, 11th grade Student

Hello everyone, my name is Destiny Underwood and I am a junior attending New london high school. Last time I touched base on how without funding me and my peers wouldn't be where we are today. I would also like to bring to your attention how it would also affect middle school. I know that if I had the ability to turn to somebody when I was mentally stuck, the majority of my high school problems would've been eliminated. If I had the right guidance and mental support in middle school that the middle schoolers need now, I know that it would make a better outcome because, along with them, we are the future. Why not try and eliminate problems before they turn into a bigger issue? Having family that goes to Benie Dover, I feel as though I am obligated to speak on their behalf and be one of the voices that speak up so they can be the most successful and have the RIGHT knowledge and mental strategies that they can use when they get to high school.

Natalie Kemp

New London High School, Student 

Hello. My name is Natalie and I’m a student athlete at New London High School. I am in support of SB50 because we need money to get the supplies to make the school better for, not only students, but teachers, wellness interventionists and other positions that are being held at the school. We need anything we can to make the school better. For example, it has been brought to my attention that Covid relief funds are expiring at the end of this year which is putting some positions in jeopardy such as the wellness interventionist. One of the main reasons we need wellness interventionists is conflict. SB50 can save and support the kids in the district in many ways. Mr.Keith has helped me in many ways, he has helped me with mental support and with grades. He lifted me at my lowest moments and this is one of the reasons why we should pass the SB50 bill. It can help tremendously.

Kymiyah Willis 

New London High School, 9th grade Student

Hello, my name is Kymiyah and I’m a 9th grade student athlete at New London high school. I’m here to testify and support the passage of SB50 because our school district is running out of covid relief funds which is putting our school at risk of losing some important positions that support both students and teachers. Without them I feel as though I would struggle more with school by having grades drop and not being able to be consistent in school. They, the interventionists, are people I could talk to in the building and feel comfortable talking about my bad days with. They support me and are a big help for me and my school community. In conclusion, I strongly advocate and testify for the support of SB50, thank you for your time and consideration. 

SaVahn Warren

New London High School, Student Athlete

My name is SaVahn Warren. I am a 17-year-old student athlete from New London, I’m here today to testify in support of SB50. Throughout my experience as a student at New London high school, a wonderful school and community that is rough around the edges, I perceived the many different students with many different characters and perspectives but foremost most of the same problems. As a community we are not all perfect but trying to improve so we can reach our potential. Therefore we all don’t come from a perfect place, we can only work together to change that and make New London's future better as a community. In New London there are many kids who suffer disadvantages in and outside of school and need a positive way to express themselves correctly. But as young students it can be hard to receive the correct guidance that we need. With the benefit of having the wellness suite, it can actually grant us many advantages that may not exist at home such as: comfort and guidance. The suite has also helped me get advice for college, recover failing grades, receive counseling and moral support, also, it is the reason that I was able to understand and pass math last semester. SB50 would cause a great improvement to my school and impact students including myself to be better in the future.

Da’Shain Phillips

New London High School, Student Athlete

My name is Da’Shaun Phillips and I am a student-athlete at New London High School. I am here in support of SB50. SB50 is a bill that would really help my School because it would give funding to keep very important positions such as our Wellness Interventionists. I believe that the Wellness Interventionist job at my school is very important and has a big impact. My reasoning on why I think this job is so important and impactful is because, during my time in New London High School, I have seen the great things Wellness Interventionists have done in my school. For example, keeping some of the kids that wouldn’t be in school, do good in class, stay focused and stay on top of their grades and work in school. Also, the Wellness Interventionist job has helped me in the past, like my freshman year, when the Wellness Interventionist was a great help in my life, helping me to feel comfortable talking to someone –  someone I could just let all my emotions out to. There were certain days that year that if we didn’t have the Wellness Interventionist job there to help me, I don’t think I would have made it through those days with a clear head space. That’s just my story, but I know that this bill would be a big help in keeping the Wellness Interventionist Job at my school. Wellness Interventionists in the school play a big role in most of the kids' lives… Just because Arpa grants are expiring doesn’t mean that the need for the resources provided by these grants have expired as well, which is why SB50 is so important for me and my community. Thank you for your time!

Rhianna Pierre

New London High School, Student 

Hello my name is Rhianna Pierre, I attend New London High, and I will be talking in support of the SB50 bill. The wellness department gives us a feeling of safety and being understood. I’ve seen, personally, how much of a change the wellness department has given my school in the three years I’ve been there. Everything from: de-escalating situations, making people feel like they have someone to talk to, and especially a feeling of not being judged. My personal experience happened my sophomore year when I was just dealing with insecurities, feeling like I had no one to talk to, and I just felt like my high school experience wasn’t a good one. Around that time is when I met Ms.Charity, one of the staff in the wellness department who just gave me reassurance and just made me feel like I had someone to talk to because I just kept everything to myself. It also gave me encouragement with school because during that time my mental health was taking a toll on me. What I am trying to get at is how important the wellness department is and how much of an impact it has in our school. It’s not like it’s not being put to use. People in that department give so many people so much encouragement and hope and we need that in our school every day, without it I don’t think our school would be able to function. This is why the SB50 has so much meaning to me. Thank you.

Jadelise Garrett

New London High School, 11th grade Student

Hello, my name is Jadelise. I am a Junior in high school, and I have attended New London High School since my freshman year starting in 2021. I am in support of more funding for New London Public School to maintain the positions of the wellness interventionists. My experience with the Wellness Interventionists have been nothing but helpful to me and my mindset while going into school. My freshman year there would be fights all the time mostly between the same people because they would receive suspensions and it would just continue when everyone returned. The wellness interventionists influence students with a more leveled way to avoid or deal with altercations; Restorative circles are commonly used to dispute issues between two parties allowing both sides to feel heard and have an opportunity for an agreement to be made with good terms or no contact, allowing students to go back to class in a better head space, ready to succeed. If you look at the data from 22-23 compared to 23-24. The suspension rate and the number of referrals have gone down and attendance has improved. The Wellness Interventionists have come to make a better school climate for students and staff. Having them allows students to have a safe space and somewhere for them to go, reset, and in some cases remind them of their end goals so they can go back into class and be able to function better with their teachers, peers and within themselves. Personally, the advice given to me by Mr.Richardson, Mr. Parker and Ms. Charity has had a positive impact on the mindset I have while in school, helping me excel socially and academically. Wellness interventionists are a good example of how funding can help maintain positive development regarding the students of this district. Thank you for listening. 

Serenity Lancaster

New London High School, Student

Good evening, my name is Serenity Lancaster. I am a 16 year old student athlete at New London High School. I’m here today to advocate for getting more funding to education in order to keep people, such as the wellness interventionists in our school. Our district needs more money in order to save some key people in New London public schools because they seem to be the only people that can help us in situations that we struggle to get out of. There are multiple incidents in our school as in fights and arguments that sometimes quickly escalate and some teachers don’t have control over students whatsoever. With our wellness interventionists there is a lot of respect that occurs between the two. Students have so much more respect for the interventionist than the teachers, also the students have a lot more trust. It takes these individuals a lot of time to try to at least let the kids trust them so it could be easier to explain or express things to them their way. If the wellness interventionists were not there when we needed them, so many things might have gone wrong at so many points, and students could be suspended, expelled, or even worse. They have done so much for the New London public school system. Personally, I can’t imagine high school without these caring individuals. I have had them since highschool started for me. They give me and other students a healthier learning environment and better ways to handle things in school and in life out of school. 

Even though our schools are losing the Covid-relief money, the need for the supports created with this money still exists. The wellness interventionists are just one key example. Thank you