Imagine & Unwind: A quiet space to just create
Imagine & Unwind is a new Tuesday ARE/lunchtime drop-in space where students can slow down, create, and take a break from the noise and activity of the school day.
Students are welcome to come during ARE, or, if they have another club or commitment during ARE, they can bring their lunch and join during lunchtime instead. There are no assignments, critiques, or expectations. Students are simply invited to choose a creative activity and enjoy some peaceful time making art.
There is good reason to intentionally create spaces like this for young people. According to a 2025 Pew Research Center study 68% of U.S. teens feel a great deal or a fair amount of pressure to earn good grades. The CDC also reports that nearly 1 in 3 high school students experienced poor mental health, including stress, anxiety, and depression, most of the time or always. At a time when students are balancing academics, activities, relationships, technology, and expectations for their futures, even a short opportunity to slow down can be valuable.
The club grew in part from Dr. Gravel’s interest in the ways creative experiences can support well-being. Last year, she completed a graduate certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy from MECA&D and wanted to bring some of what she learned into the school setting. Imagine & Unwind provides a small space in the school week where students do not have to achieve anything, earn a grade, or even carry on a conversation. They can simply be present and create.
For the first gathering, students chose from a variety of mandalas, gathered drawing materials, grabbed a cookie, and settled in for some quiet creative time. The only real rule was no talking. The goal was to create a space where students could relax without the pressure to socialize, perform, or produce something for a grade.
Imagine & Unwind is currently offered on Tuesdays only, but Dr. Gravel hopes to expand the drop-in to additional days as scheduling and availability allow. Future gatherings will offer different simple, low-pressure creative activities. Students do not need to be enrolled in an art class or consider themselves an “artist” to participate.
For now, students looking for a little time to breathe, create, and reset are invited to drop in on Tuesdays during ARE or bring their lunch and join afterward.