Mental Health & Wellness Center
Thaddeus M. Bullard Academy at Sligh Middle Magnet School
Mission Statement
In partnership with Florida Blue and Tampa Bay Thrives, the Mental Health and Wellness Center serves to foster the mental, physical, social, and emotional wellness of their students, staff, families, and community.
The Wellness Program Coordinator strives to initiate wellness partnerships that are relevant to the student population. The current programs offer a wide array of services to students throughout the school day and after school to provide timely and individualized support.
The Zen Den
Tampa Bay Thrives has partnered with Sligh Middle School Administration, The Bullard Family Foundation, and Florida Blue to bring a Zen Den to life at Sligh Middle School. The purpose of this space is to provide a calming environment for youth and staff to decompress through purposeful mindfulness spaces and programs. The room includes areas and activities to practice healthy mental wellness through yoga, breathing exercises, and youth-focused resources.
The Wellness Programs
Creative Conversations
Art wellness sessions with that with a board-certified art instructor who promotes mindful conversation between participants and facilitator and encourages participants to self-reflect and explore their connections to the fundamental needs of self-actualization
Cat in a Box
The box represents my trapped feelings of sadness and anger these past few months. I’ve grown to deal with them and learned to love and focus on myself and my well being. The cat represents my happy place since they cuddle with me and make me feel safe. Nothing makes me happier than playing with Onion and watching movies with Milo.
Free just like a Butterfly
Right now, I would say I am in the cocoon stage of becoming a butterfly. I know I will go though a lot in life as I grow into a beautiful butterfly.
Tower of Life
A tower describes me because when building a tower, you build up just like in life you need to build up even if you get knocked down. This tower represents the trials (red) and tribulations (green) of life. The tower is also a little messy and that’s okay because that is life.
Mindful Movement
Breathwork/yoga wellness sessions with a certified yoga instructor who focuses on teaching self-regulating breathwork and simple body movements for participants to internalize and apply when they are in periods of distress or discomfort.
“MEN”torship
Mentoring program developed with community mentor in response to staff survey requests for an all-boys group that focuses on behaviors such as disrespect, disobedience – specifically in the classroom setting during instructional time – and despondent behaviors triggered from events such as a recent loss of a loved one or the effects of divorce.
HAPPY
(Hug a Puppy Program for Youth)
Individualized or small group dog wellness sessions facilitated by licensed therapists for students with heightened levels of depression, anxiety, and anger.
ADAPT
A Dog Assisted Program for Teens
NEW! FALL 2024 PROGRAM
A 12-week dog training & social and emotional skills development program that addresses issues such as impulse control, decision-making, emotional regulation and coping skills- all through dog dialogue.
Musical Motivation
NEW! FALL 2024 PROGRAM
Music wellness program facilitated in our TMBA state-of-the-art Production Room by a board-certified music therapist trained to assess, set individualized wellness goals, and create music-based experiences that meet those goals.
Newsletters
2024 Summer Camp
Introduction to Video Production
A Bullard Family Foundation and Tampa Bay Thrives Mental Health and Wellness Project
The Bullard Family Foundation and Tampa Bay Thrives brought together their passion for videography with a
priority that is important to both of their organizations: mental health and wellness for all.
The week-long camp looked at ways to break the stigma around mental health, especially for young people, through thoughtful storytelling and video – all from a young person’s perspective.
The participants learned new skills, honed their story-telling techniques, and made new friends.
This camp would not have been possible without the generous support of our valuable partners—who have joined the camp and provided this incredible opportunity. Thank you: Florida Blue, Hillsborough County School District, Jabil, and Worth & Purpose.
Camp Highlights
Day 1 was spent learning about mental health and wellness with the Tampa Bay Thrives Team and special guest, Milo.
Participants took a break from production to attend a private screening of My Spy 2 hosted by Thaddeus M. Bullard and Dave Bautista.
Family, friends, and partners were invited to attend the TMBA Production Watch Party.
The Productions
Community Events
Spring 2024
Bullard Family Foundation Family Wellness Day
The BFF Family Wellness Day focused on destigmatizing mental health and wellness for Sligh Middle School’s students, families, and community through various wellness activations.
The wellness activations included:
- Art Wellness: Each family member was able to create their own art and take it home framed.
- Physical Wellness: TPD set up their very own obstacle course for families to experience together.
- Social Wellness: Families were given conversation cards to use with one another.
- Environmental Wellness: Families were able to plant their vegetables, fruit, or herbs, decorate their pot, and take it home.
- Emotional Wellness: Families were able to practice simple breathwork activities and were given sensory breathwork stickers to utilize in times of stress or anxiety.
We were fortunate to have the following organizations provide resources for our families: Tampa Bay Thrives, TampaWell Community Outreach, Metropolitan Ministries Prosperity Center, Suncoast Credit Union, and TPD Community Outreach. Our families also enjoyed bounce houses, a mini golf course, a bubble zone, music, free food, and performances by our TMBA drumline and dancers.
Volunteers
“Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.”
-James Matthew Barrie
The success of the Wellness Center is thanks in large part to the passion, selflessness, and dedication of our volunteers. If you would like to volunteer at one of our wellness events, join the BFF Volunteer List!
