Dublin High School Announces Innovative Student Wellness and Stress Management Program

DUBLIN, CA–The approaching deadline for college acceptance and selection decisions is just one of many stress triggers facing Dublin students. A recent survey by the American Psychological Association (APA) (Stress in America™: Are Teens Adopting Adults’ Stress Habits?) found that “many teens report feeling overwhelmed (31 percent) and depressed or sad (30 percent) as a result of stress. More than one-third of teens report fatigue or feeling tired (36 percent) and nearly one-quarter of teens (23 percent) report skipping a meal due to stress.”

“It is alarming that the teen stress experience is so similar to that of adults. It is even more concerning that they seem to underestimate the potential impact that stress has on their physical and mental health,” says APA CEO and Executive Vice President Norman B. Anderson, PhD. “In order to break this cycle of stress and unhealthy behaviors as a nation, we need to provide teens with better support and health education at school and home, at the community level and in their interactions with health care professionals.”

The documentaries Race to Nowhere and Beyond Measure, by filmmaker and education activist Vicki Abeles explored the impact of homework overload and how some schools are transforming education.

The temporary appearance of puppies during exam periods is not uncommon on high school and college campuses. According to One Green Planet, “petting a bunny on your lap can reduce the stress hormone cortisol and increase your happiness by releasing serotonin”.

When Dublin High School students return to campus from a much deserved spring break they will be welcomed by a new addition to the rapidly growing student population – rabbits.

“What makes this initiative so unique,” said a Dublin High School official in the announcement, “is that every student will be paired with a rabbit for the entire school year. Our one-to-one computing initiative will now be matched with one-to-one rabbiting!”

In order to manage nearly 3,000 rabbits at the high school additional changes are coming:

• Students will be receiving special “bunny backpacks” suitable for carrying both books and bunnies so that the rabbits can accompany students to class.
• Portable rabbit hutches are under construction to accompany the addition of portable classrooms
• A new garden is being planted to source the carrots that will feed the warren of bunnies.
• Additional elective classes will be added next year covering organic farming techniques and rabbit husbandry.
• The bell schedule is also being adjusted to include a “bunny cuddling passing period”.

When a school official was asked how there will be enough rabbits to keep up with the rapid enrollment growth at Dublin High School the official remarked, “rabbits do, after all, breed like rabbits.”

Note: while we had some fun today, student stress and wellness is no laughing matter. Read more here on how Bay Area schools are working to tackle the very real challenge of student stress.