The Wellness Room has opened at Cranford High School in Room L213. Advertised as a space for both students and staff to take a break during their busy day, the center provides a variety of activities to help relax and refocus. But what really went into the creation of the Wellness Room? And what can the CHS community expect from it?

In the Wellness Room, one can find a plethora of activities, including arts and crafts. Coloring, fidget toys, and Legos may help focus the mind, while yoga or meditation can aid in decompression. Additionally, there is comfortable seating and dim, natural lighting to maximize relaxation. Funded by a generous grant from the Cranford Fund for Educational Excellence, the Wellness Room can be space for anything from exercising your mind to recharging it. 

A flyer for the Wellness Room deems it a space for students to learn to cope with the emotions that may emerge amidst the pressures of the school day. There is an emphasis not only on prioritizing mental health, but also on learning to cope with stress. The goal of this break room is to refocus and return to class as soon as possible, hence the ten-minute time limit for missing class. 

While the Wellness Room is an important step towards supporting mental health at Cranford High School, it also presents a potential challenge: the risk that people will use the room as a means to get out of class. However, this potential cost should be compared with the plethora of potential benefits to students and staff alike.