The results of the latest biennial survey of the health and wellness of Lab middle and high school students show that mental health has improved in the past two years and is slightly better than the national average. Lab released a new health and wellness dashboard, which compares the results of the 2024 and 2022 surveys overall and across race, grade and gender.
According to the survey’s results, U-High has an overall wellness score of 87, compared to the national average of 85. Since 2022, Lab’s scores overall have improved significantly in many areas, such as feelings of belonging, enjoyment and ease of learning, while remaining stagnant or getting worse in areas such as feelings of peer competition and an overemphasis on grades over mental health.
Though further analysis of the data will be conducted this summer, high school principal Martin Woods plans to use this information to help students through what the data suggests is the most stressful time at Lab: junior and senior year.
“I think our junior and senior classes are really important because it’s at that point you really start to feel the pressure of Lab,” Mr. Woods said. “But I do think that this provides some potent information in terms of what we need to be looking out for and ways to support them in the college application process.”
Learning coordinator Heavenly Hicks praised the use of anonymous, pressure-free surveys that allow students to be honest and help counselors to understand what students need.
“What I feel is that the conversation around mental health and well-being at Lab has not only improved but widened in terms of scope and adults who are a resource and a support system for students,” Ms. Hicks said, adding that she encouraged students to seek counselor support whether in crisis or not. “It’s always good to just check in with an additional person, which has really been my biggest takeaway from the results.”
Sophomore Valkyrie Laurence said Lab has taken some initiatives to improve student wellness and provide students with trusted adults while retaining its standard of education. Valkyrie added that Lab should still take more efforts to make students actually feel those benefits, but part of the problem is larger than Lab.
“It’s sort of a societal problem that people don’t feel comfortable talking to adults about their issues,” Valkyrie said, “and I don’t think that’s a thing that just Lab can fix.”