Miami High’s very own mental health awareness club was brought to life during the 2021-2022 school year by senior Jose Caballero, after he himself had a touching experience about mental health and why it’s so important for others to be aware of it. 

   Jose’s idea for the club started, like most great ideas, in a class while doing research for a topic he had been interested in for a while: mental health. Along with the help of the TRUST counselor Ms. Luberto, Jose worked very hard to bring this subject into our school. 

   “My research inspired me to expand my passion into creating In Touch on my own, by making me raise questions about the lack of mental health awareness and resources in the community where I live,” he said.

   Jose added that for him to be able to take the next step of creating this club, he had to go beyond just researching for a class project, and start asking questions about the community that he was living in, and how even the educational system played a role in a student’s mental health and the academic success related to it. 

   “In Touch became the first student-led organization for mental health awareness at Miami Senior after 118 years of existence,” Jose said. 

   Jose added that the mission of the club is, “Together we can foster a more open-minded understanding of mental health in our community, and feel even more encouraged to succeed.” 

 He further explained that even though the purpose of the club was very self-explanatory, he wanted to create a safe environment for students to have, where they could be able to talk about their problems in a free-of-judgment environment, even more with a professional such as the school’s TRUST counselor, Ms. Luberto. 

   The logo of this club consists of a collaborative image of half of a brain and half of a heart. Creative like no other, this logo brings out not only the youthful idea and style of the creator and its members, but it also reflects the relationship between mind and feelings, the balance to keep a good mental health.  

   Jose said, “I came up with the logo, social media aesthetic, and design. I wanted In Touch’s logo and name to represent comfort and connection. Our logo is a heart split in half, with a blue brain taking one half to represent an important unity. The connection between the heart, representing physical health, and the brain, representing mental and emotional health, is a fundamental principle of this club. I am especially proud of the themes I employ in the art; pastel colors, soft lighting, and texts containing reassurance, resources, and quotes are the factors that distinguish In Touch from any other of my school’s club Instagram pages. I did not want In Touch’s page to be easily overlooked at first glance; instead, I worked to grant it an aesthetic that students my age can connect with.”

   Although In Touch is a new club, it has accomplished an amazing goal that all clubs strive towards: they have 300 members already. Jose explained that social media helped a lot to bring more awareness and connection throughout the school in order to get more students to join. The club’s Instagram is @mhsintouch. 

   In its short time of existence, this club has already done a lot for the students at Sting Town. The club members and officers have created many activities, from decorating cookies, to designing posters to bring awareness about mental health, which is what the club is all about.

   However, as Jose Caballero is ready to graduate this year, what will happen with the club?

   He answered, “I envision In Touch continuing its impact by making Miami High’s unique community a healthier environment that uses specific tools and strategies to deal with the academic stress that often plagues high schools. I also imagine an environment where students feel more and more comfortable speaking about their mental and emotional struggles because they know that In Touch will always be there to listen and support them. As Hispanic mental health stigma passes down through generations, I hope In Touch is passed down just as enthusiastically and could slowly overcome it.”

   Even though Jose is graduating this year, he would like to keep the club alive for the generations to come, and perhaps even expand it beyond high school in the future.