After seeing too many of their peers at Iowa City West High School crying in hallways, Helelia Wa Kalala, 18, and Nao Oya, 17, both seniors, advocated for a space where students can have their feelings before returning to class.
The school converted a classroom in to a NESTT — which stands for Navigating Emotions and Stress Through Training — where students can check in at any time during the school day to learn mindfulness, emotional regulation and distress tolerance.
“It’s like a home away from home where students can feel safe,“ said Wa Kalala, co-president with Oya of a mental health advocacy club at West High.
