DIDSBURY - Anyone walking around downtown last week might have noticed some positive sayings written in chalk on the sidewalks.
The messages were written by students from Westglen School and Ross Ford Elementary School as part of the national Let's Chalk About It campaign put on by the Canadian Mental Health Association for mental health week, May 6-12.
Leading the students in the program in both Didsbury and Olds were members of the YES (Youth Empowerment Support) team of Chinook's Edge School Division: Emma Lefebvre of Didsbury, and Ashten Paquette and Becky Statchuk of Olds.
"The program brings preventative mental health programming to school-aged kids in the community," said Paquette. "From kindergarten to Grade 6 we go into the classroom and bring different programs and we do lunch programs and after-school programs. We also do community initiatives like mental health week."
"It's part of the mental health capacity building project," said Lefebvre. "It's a preventative program so it's a lot with the elementary school age and middle school age. We do a little in the high school, but not much."
All three started with the program, which has been around for 10 years, in September.
"We're about promoting mental health and wellness," said Lefebvre. "We're encouraging the kids to write really positive messages for people that are walking through the community."
"It teaches kids they can have a positive impact in their community as well," said Statchuk. "Beyond school, it doesn't take much to impact other people in a positive way."
Paquette said the students have enjoyed getting outside and writing the messages and watch people smile as they walk by.
"I think it's helping them realize that it's such a little job to make someone's day better," she said.
