Brain Awareness Week is something that we’ve been apart of at Peak for a few years now. This year, we will be partnering with the Dana Foundation, for the third year in a row, and Colorado State University during the week of March 13th. The Dana Foundation is a philanthropic organization whose mission statement states that they are “committed to advancing brain research and to educating the public.” The Dana Foundation helped their partners bring Brain Awareness Week to the country-wide educational initiative is today. This year, we plan on focusing our brain activities on how our brains are affected by technology, developing empathy for brain disorders and injuries, and local options found in Summit County related to positive brain health. “It’s so important to understand our brains and it’s functions and capabilities,” said Peak student Elli VanDeYacht.  “People can be ignorant on this topic, students especially. Brain Awareness Week has been a great success at Peak because it’s interactive and easy to participate in, just like lots of our classes.”

Dr. Leslie Stone-Roy will be visiting on Tuesday March 14th with a group of Colorado State University undergraduate and graduate students as part of their CSU’s Brain Awareness Week outreach program, and will be bringing a number of interactive stations directed at Middle and High School aged students. Additionally, the Peak School will continue to provide students with materials and information so that they can connect with local resources, including Safe2Tell Colorado and local affiliate High Country Colorado of the National Alliance of Mental Illness to educate about suicide and substance abuse.

Our hope is that by educating young people, they will be able to employ better decision making skills and develop greater empathy towards mental and brain disorders.

“Brain Awareness Week is a great opportunity to learn more about mental illness, substance abuse, and proper brain protection,” another Peak student, Olivia Brown-Wolf said. “I believe every week should be treated like Brain Awareness Week. Education about mental illness is extremely under taught in our society, and I believe Brain Awareness Week is the first step to further educate youth about these illnesses.”

If you would like to get more involved with Brain Awareness Week, the Peak School would love your help. The program runs March 13-17, 2017 at The Peak School during school hours.