As you plug in the code for your mental health Nearpod lesson in third period, you hear the groans of your peers. While the lessons have been around for a while, this year, the pressure to complete the mental health modules is much larger. 

Mental health has long been an issue, with Florida alone having nearly three million suffering from mental health issues. To combat these increasing numbers, Gov. Ron DeSantis passed the mental health law for students in sixth through 12th grade, requiring schools to teach students about mental health. While the lessons taught may not be fun, it meets the requirements and helps those who need it. 

Passed in 2019, the law requires schools to provide students with five hours of mental health lessons. With these guidelines, Seminole County decided to create interactive presentations through Nearpod. Each lesson is designed to teach students about a certain issue, followed by resources and a couple of interactive activities. Each lesson is fast and effective, and they teach you what you need to know. 

No matter what method the school board chooses to take, there will always be complaints. Even if some think the mental health lessons are not the best, in just one year the lessons have significantly improved. In previous years, the Nearpod lessons were something teachers only did if they had time after a lesson, but now there is a designated time carved out for mental health. It is now a mandatory thing that administrators check. This alone is a huge improvement because it makes sure it is done and lets students learn about and how to help their own mental health. 

While these mental health lessons might not seem useful for everyone, they definitely help those that might need it. Not everyone is open to sharing a struggle they might be dealing with or might not know they have a mental health illness. Through these lessons, students can determine what they can do to help themselves and get the resources they need. 

Despite the possibility of other ways to teach mental health, the nearpod lessons created by Seminole County gets the job done. These lessons guarantee that students learn about mental health and get the resources they might need to help; all they need is updating. No matter what is done, everyone will have something to say, but this way, the students will get the help and information they need.