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Fresh Check Day at SMSU is a Success

Published Wednesday, November 02, 2016

Fresh Check Day Artwork
Fresh Check Day Artwork

SMSU hosted its first Fresh Check Day, a mental health and wellness-like fair, on Wednesday, Nov. 2 in the upper level of the Student Center.

Hosted by Counseling and Testing Services with assistance from on- and off-campus resources, the event featured approximately 20 interactive booths and activities dealing in a positive, upbeat way with mental health and wellness.

The event was the first Fresh Check Day event in the Midwest, said Dr. Sara Fier, one of the event coordinators who works in the Counseling and Testing Services office. It was hosted with support from the Jordan Porco Foundation.

"Most Fresh Check Days have been on the East Coast — a few on the West Coast — but we're the first to host one in the Midwest," she said.

The Jordan Porco Foundation was founded in 2011 by Ernie and Marisa Porco after they lost their son, Jordan, to suicide when he was a freshman in college. In their grief, Jordan’s parents learned the unacceptable statistics surrounding mental health and suicide in the young adult population, and decided they needed to turn their grief into action so that other families would never have to experience such a profound loss. The Jordan Porco Foundation is committed to preventing suicide in the high school, college, and college-entry student population.

One in 10 college students think seriously about attempting suicide, said Fier. "And that means that nine out of 10 students can learn the signs and what to do when they see those signs," she said.

The event featured a large inflatable, along with activities such as "Paint Your Art Out," "Look for the Good," "Know Your Limit," "Be Yourself" and "Support Our Service Members."

Fier said it was her hope that students would take from the fun events a better understanding of suicide prevention and other mental health issues that college-aged students face. "The events are designed to be interactive and fun, but each also has a message," she said.

As for SMSU's inaugural Fresh Check Day, Fier said she was pleasantly surprised. "I didn't know what to expect, because it's our first," she said. "I'm happy to see so much student participation. That's what this event is about, and our students are embracing the event."

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