Hundreds attend Mental Health Faire at South Tahoe High

The students at South Tahoe High School (STHS) hosted their first Mental Health Faire on campus for both students and staff during school on Monday, May 7.

A new club on campus started by the El Dorado County chapter of The National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) organized the event, bringing the community and school together to help reduce the stigma of mental illness. Approximately 1 in 5 youth aged 13–18 (21.4%) in the U.S. experiences a severe mental disorder at some point during their life.

"It was fantastic to see students asking questions, getting information and participating in such a positive way," said STHS Principal Carline Sinkler.

NAMI On Campus: Brain Health Leadership club is one of the fastest growing clubs the school has ever had, with dozens of students meeting weekly after getting the new group together this school year under the guidance of Jeanne Nelson, NAMI President, NAMI El Dorado County.

"We are very proud of our student leaders and their dedication to raising awareness about brain health and eliminating stigma around mental health," added Sinkler. "We are also grateful for our partnership with NAMI El Dorado, Barton, El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department, South Lake Tahoe Police Department, and Suicide Prevention Network ​for joining us for this event and supporting our students' vision for the event."

"The students did such a great job planning and orchestrating this," said Nelson, who estimated 25 percent of the student body attended.

"We would love to see this event happen again!" said Sinkler.