'Invisible Backpack' Program At Mattituck-Cutchogue School District Spotlights Mental Health Awareness

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MATTITUCK, NY — A program developed within the Mattituck-Cutchogue aims to support students academically, socially and emotionally.

That core mission inspired the creation of the Mattituck High School's mental health leadership program, which was developed in a student-team collaboration of Andrea Nydegger, Michelle Fussa and Megan Collins after the tragic loss of a student in January 2021, district officials said.

As part of the program’s efforts, seven students from the Mental Health Leadership/SADD Club presented "The Invisible Backpack," during the past school year.

Presented to the sixth grade students at Cutchogue East Elementary School, the program focused on mental health awareness and resilience.

The students explained the concept of "The Invisible Backpack" — which is that no one knows what another person is going through and what their day may be like.

Similar to an actual backpack, everyone carries something with them, officials said.

In the "invisible backpack" there are risk factors, such as bricks, or the things that cause stress and low self-esteem, such as family problems, social problems, school stresses, medical struggles and mental health issues, officials said.

Each time a person experiences a risk factor, it is like a brick is being added to the backpack, district officials said.

What can help ease the load are the protective factors, or the things that give support and boost up one’s self-esteem, district officials said.

Even though someone may come into school with a "full" backpack, the support and kindness they receive from teachers, counselors and peers can help lighten their load — each protective factor can help "remove" one of the bricks, the district said.

Megan Collins and Andrea Nydegger also presented the district’s mental health leadership program during a workshop for school social workers at the Long Island School Social Work Conference held at Stony Brook University.

As part of the workshop, the students also spoke about "The Invisible Backpack," highlighting the impact of peer-led mental health education and advocacy, district officials said..