Mental health has become a bit of a hot topic in a lot of conversations here at Plainwell High School, but it’s not always about negative things. Whether it’s discussing what is bothering someone, or trading test scores and hobbies, the topic comes up more subtly than most would think. It is evident that school causes a significant dip in teenagers’ mental health, making them struggle mentally and sometimes physically. However, there are a few outlets that allow students to break away from all the stress and drama that is school: The Arts. Whether that’s playing an instrument, singing, photography, drawing, making crafts, etc., there have been several observations and experiments conducted to prove that the arts has a positive impact on the mental health of teenagers.

According to both the art and choir teachers, Regina Beltowski and Abby Stutsman, the arts are therapeutic, releasing stress and making people happier.

Several art and music students were interviewed, and asked to give their voice for this topic. Raleigh Murphy ’26 spoke about how art has helped her and what she has seen it do for others. “In mental asylums, they can do specific art projects that activate the prefrontal cortex to stabilize well-being. I like sketching because you can make it as messy as possible and no one is going to see it.”

Avry Asbury ’27, also known as Orpheus in this year’s Musical “Hadestown”, has given his input about how music helps him and the others around him. “It’s a great stress reliever. Doing things you love with people you love and have similar interests with boosts your mood overall. I love music because it’s something we all have in our lives and without it, life would be dim.” Both Asbury and Murphy agreed that the arts give people a way to express themselves without being judged.

Rachel Sherer ’25 is a bit of a middle ground between the two previous opinions, saying that both art and music have their own great points, as well as helping her in different aspects. “It’s given me a community of people I can surround myself with and have similar interests. Art and music help me express myself because art helps me get my creative juices flowing, and music helps me express myself.”

Overall, the voices given are fairly similar: The Arts give people a space to be themselves without judgement, and allows them to let themselves be as creative and authentic as possible. This is considered the highlight of many artists days, as they feel themselves calming down and being less stressed when they do not have to worry about deadlines, tests, and other stresses for at least an hour a day.