School Mental Health Spotlight: Q & A with Lebanon Middle School
Lebanon Middle School is one of four schools across the state piloting CHDI’s Student Peer Support initiative during the 2024-2025 school year. To learn more about their experience implementing this new model, Project Coordinator Rosie Breindel recently spoke with LMS paraprofessional Vicktrie Hilario, who is serving as one of two staff advisors to the school’s peer support team. Their conversation has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Tell me a bit about your role at the school and your previous involvement with student mental health initiatives.
Vicktrie Hilario (VH): I’ve been in the Lebanon school district since 2019. Being a paraprofessional in the schools and working closely one-on-one with students has given me an incredible opportunity to be the first line of support and contact with children who are struggling. We, as paraprofessionals, have the ability to develop close relationships with students…
I don’t believe there is enough emphasis on how important mental health is, and there is a huge stigma attached to it. We live in a time where there is so much talk about it, but very few people feel they have access to or even want to say they need help.
Vicktrie Hilario
Paraprofessional and Peer Support Team Advisor
Lebanon Middle School
How did Lebanon get involved in piloting the peer support model?
VH: It has always been extremely important for me that the children in schools know they can trust me and know that I am there for them. So when the opportunity came up to work with CHDI and this initiative, I was very happy to sign up. Being one of the pilot schools has been a learning experience for us.
What is something you’ve learned through participating in the Peer Support program this year that your school will continue to utilize moving forward?
VH: We have learned that it’s hard for kids to open up about their mental health struggles, even when it’s to one of their peers. In our middle school, we have fifth through eighth graders. That is a HUGE gap. What is stressful for our fifth graders is quite different from the struggles that a seventh or eighth grader has.
[So] we chose to separate our Peer Mentors into two groups. We have the fifth and sixth graders together, and our seventh and eighth graders together. We meet twice a month, with one meeting being all four grades together. This gives the younger kids time to express themselves and what's happening at their level in a way that doesn’t feel as intimidating. When we all meet together, it’s a great opportunity for the older kids to be a source of strength and support for the younger kids. Going forward, I think this is something that should continue.
Another thing we have learned is that the sooner we get the word out, the better it is for our student body, to know who to turn to, whether that be a peer or our incredible guidance staff.
What is the biggest change you’ve noticed as a result of implementing this program? What immediate impact have you seen?
VH: The biggest thing I have noticed is that our Peer Mentors are paying more attention to their peers. They notice the changes in their peer groups before anyone else. Before they became Peer Mentors, they didn’t notice when a student stopped liking the things they've always liked. Now they notice, and keep an eye on it so they can check in. They are better informed [about what to do] when a friend tells them something concerning.
This is a huge step, especially at the middle school age. Middle schoolers are learning about themselves and trying new things... They have so many different emotions and stresses because of peer pressure and their age, not to mention the physical changes happening in their bodies. It’s hard for them to sort it all out. Knowing that there is a friend nearby, who is possibly going through some of the same things that they are… can literally be life-changing.
The immediate impact I’ve seen is [more] awareness of how important our mental health is, for both students and staff. We all get into a mental “funk” sometimes – that’s just life. However, knowing when it's more than just a mental funk - knowing that, while it's ok to not be ok sometimes, that sometimes you do need more help - that information can save lives, in middle school and throughout adulthood.
“I hope that they learn how incredibly valuable their lives are and what a great impact each of us has on each other. I want them to know that they have a great purpose in this world and that tomorrow needs them."
What were some of the challenges you experienced in implementing this program? Was it hard to do?
VH: As I said before, some of the challenges were the age gap and getting the correct information out there. I think it’s important that the students, in any school, know who they can talk to. [Part of this program is also] letting students know who they can call if they don’t feel completely comfortable talking with a peer.
Lebanon is a small, close-knit community; most of our students have known each other since kindergarten. It can be intimidating to go to someone you’ve known for that long and trust that, number one, all the information will stay between the two of you* and number two, feel comfortable letting that person know… that you are struggling.
Teaching our younger generations that it’s ok to not be ok sometimes is something that can save years of heartache and even save lives. With all that being said, I don’t believe it has been hard. Getting a schedule down and breaking the silence on mental health issues is the hardest aspect of this initiative.
*Note: All students participating on Peer Support teams receive training on what information shared by other students can remain confidential and what must be shared with an adult at the school (such as health and safety concerns).
How has CHDI's technical assistance supported your implementation of the Peer Support model?
VH: I appreciate all the resources CHDI provided for us. It was extremely helpful to know where we should be throughout the school year as far as meetings, agendas, and the planning process. The school year can get away from you, so it's nice to have that information to refer to.
I also found it very helpful to have resources at our fingertips. CHDI provided a ton of information for the advisors, and it was helpful and appreciated. It was also nice to have check-ins from CHDI through calls and emails.
Do you have any advice for other schools that may implement this program in the future?
VH: I think the best advice I can give for other schools is to build [peer support meeting times] into the schedule, and to make sure that when you are choosing your peer mentors, you are choosing kids from all different groups of students. Often, our most vulnerable groups can be left out because they don’t feel comfortable talking to those kids they feel are “chosen for everything.”
Another piece of advice would be to get the word out to the student body quickly and frequently. Have your Peer Mentors available during free times, like lunches and study halls. We have our Peer Mentors wearing their Mentor shirts every Friday to make sure the student body knows who they are. We also have posters on mental health awareness and Peer Support all throughout the hallways.
What do you hope the long-term impact of this program will be?
VH: I’m hoping that the information these students learn will help them reach out when they need help, and also help them guide others to the correct resources when they don’t feel strong enough to do it themselves. I hope that they learn how incredibly valuable their lives are and what a great impact each of us has on each other. I want them to know that they have a great purpose in this world and that tomorrow needs them.
I appreciate the opportunity to be a part of this initiative and look forward to it being continued, here in Lebanon and beyond.
Read a Q & A with another participating school here.
Get Involved
Interested in bringing the Students Supporting Students model to your school?
Submit this form to download our Peer Support guides for advisors and students. We strongly encourage schools to contact us before using the guides so that we can provide guidance and support to help you implement the program successfully.
Get free technical assistance and support
To get no-cost technical assistance and support to implement Students Supporting Students in conjunction with other school mental health initiatives as part of a comprehensive school mental health approach, contact Sarah White, LMSW, or click here to learn more about the CONNECT IV Students initiative.
Special thanks to Project Coordinator Rosie Breindel for interviewing schools for this feature.