Pembroke Pines Charter High School is implementing “Happy Fridays” through Canvas as a way to combat the stress and anxiety brought on by the current situation we face collectively as a school community.  Every Friday they encourage students to participate in a “Happy Friday” activity. Which is designed to give them a dose of connectivity and centeredness within the schools community. Guidance fun Fridays has been quite a success. Most students agree that having no school on Fridays is an ideal way to ensure that all students feel destressed and happy. Freshman Amanda Roman claims, “[she] happens to love the idea of “Guidance Fridays” because it is a way for [her] to relax and have more time to spend with family. Also, for [her] to work on [her] extracurriculars, such as piano and guitar at home.” In response to this it’s hard to disagree that these “Fun Fridays” could be anything less than a great idea. Even teachers are on board with this as they support all of the guidance’s attempts at making the students of PPCHS feel at ease during these times. It’s important for students to know that their school has their back even if the world is going through uncertain times. 

  Guidance Counselors play an important role in our schools, offering guidance to students in a wide variety of ways. Such as being able to provide parents with resources to help guide their children in academics along with student mental and social well being in and outside of school. This is why it is crucial for guidance counselors to continue their work even if we are not necessarily attending school anymore knowing that there is someone students can confide in tough situations and interactions can truly make a difference big or small. For instance, senior Alyssa Miragliotta states “[She] thinks “Guidance Fridays” are excellent methods for students to perform activities to help cope with stress, especially for [her]. With [her] senior year being officially canceled [she] was extremely upset, but [she] have taken up mediating an activity that [she] found last Friday.”

   So far PPCHS guidance counselors have made a big difference in the charter high school community and we all hope they continue to do more activities like “Guidance Fridays” or by its better known name “Fun Fridays”.