From the time the doors of Tara High School open until the last bell rings, the Humanities Amped Student Life Center is buzzing with activity. Students stop by this welcoming, youth-centered space right in the center of campus to connect with trusted adults about challenges they may be facing at school or at home, to take some time in “Get Right” to cool down, or access hygiene products or a snack. At lunch, students stop by to grab a coffee or tea, or a hug from an Amped staff member. Student Government Association members and Girls Empowerment participants come in and out all day long to check in with Amped Co-Director Ms. LaChanda Harris, LCSW, and Student Life & Wellness Coordinator Ms. Monisha Pack about their ideas for improving culture at the school, or ask when their next eagerly anticipated meeting is.

The Student Life Center, now in its second year, is having a dramatic impact on student wellbeing and belonging: the best way to understand this impact is to hear from a young person directly. This excerpt from a conversation with Nia (a pseudonym) has been edited slightly for length and clarity, while preserving the student’s experience in her own words.

WHAT IS THE SLC?

Dr. Gist: Can you describe the Student Life Center to me as though I didn’t know what it was?

Nia: So the Student Life Center, you basically come in here for everything. Especially me, I’m speaking from experience … It does have a lot of resources and stuff in here, such as feminine products, all this other stuff that you may need to clean yourself up. Also, they’re very supportive.

WHAT DOES THE SLC MAKE POSSIBLE FOR STUDENTS?

Dr. Gist: You said you brought other students to SLC–can you tell me about that?

Nia: I was with my homegirl, and she wasn’t feeling her best because they had some stuff that happened in her family. I was like, there’s [people you can talk to] here, in C-Hall. Now at the time she wasn’t necessarily ready to talk because she didn’t know them. But then she came back on her own, and then she liked it.

Dr. Gist: Why do you think people come back to the SLC?

Nia: People come back because I feel like they see something in it. They don’t necessarily get that treatment anywhere else. People want to be heard, they want to be able to express themselves, and in the Student Life Center you can do that without being judged for it, without being bullied for it, without any of that. It’s really good. And then like, when you say you feelin’ stressed, girl, if you don’t get you a nice little cup of tea, coffee, treat yourself to a little treat, sit down and get your mind right and go back to class.

Dr. Gist: I imagine that having the space to come and get yourself right, like you said, means you're going to be more engaged in class. Is that true?

Nia: Yes. Usually, when you come in here, you most likely have a lot of stuff on your mind, and you just want to be free from everything. But the second you come in here and actually discuss what’s going on, it’s like so much relief that comes from that, and I don’t think that people actually understand how much pressure it releases off of you, just talking about your problems that you may be dealing with. Something may be going on at home; you can talk about it, get some advice, and put forth the advice that you were given, and bam–life’s great. Man, you’ve got more blessings coming in; look at that. It’s a really good thing.

Dr. Gist: Tell me how you think the SLC impacts the culture on campus.

Nia: It’s just the place to be. Anybody that I could ask would say that, “Oh yeah, we fixin’ to go to the Student Life Center, you ready to go?” Like, cool, I’m comin wit’y’all. It’s really good. It’s not doing damage to Tara, but it’s bringing people more out of their shell, and it's making people less nervous to talk to people, and stuff like that. It’s really good.

HOW DOES THE SLC MAKE SCHOOL SAFER?

Dr. Gist: So, one thing that we tell people about the Student Life Center, because we believe this is the impact that it has, is that it reduces the number of people who get into fights. Do you agree with that?

Nia: Yes, I 100% agree with you. ‘Cause from my experience, I was [getting ready] to fight a couple of people this year. And I just came in here, I was talking to them about it, and they were like, well, you should do what’s better for you. And with me–I play basketball, I run track…. I had so much stuff going for myself. Then I’m in dual enrollment and magnet, and at the time they was talking about expelling people for fights and stuff like that, and it was like: you are too bright, your future is too bright. They’re very encouraging.

Dr. Gist: So, the encouragement to choose something other than fighting. But people don’t get into fights for no reason, so I wonder if you found that there was any support as far as like, the actual problem? Were they able to help you with that?

Nia: Yes, they were. The people that I was supposedly supposed to be fighting- a little birdie told them about the Student Life Center, and they came and discussed it with them. And then it put a stop to everything.

Dr. Gist: That’s incredible. That’s an incredible story, Nia.

Nia: I came back the next day, and I ain’t hear nothing about me. I’m like, oh, OK, this is a good day!

Dr. Gist: Amazing. Is there anything else you want to say about the Student Life Center?

Nia: All I can say is, be there or be square!

Stories like Nia’s show that the Student Life Center is meeting critical wellbeing and engagement needs on Tara High School’s campus, where educators prioritize students’ best interests, but where school-based resources are stretched thin. When Humanities Amped began its residency at Tara in 2022, a survey we conducted revealed that 55% of students on campus found it “difficult” or “very difficult” to talk to an adult when they have problems in school. A student facing their problems alone might seem like an individual choice, but they impact the entire school community: when young people lack safe ways to process stress, regulate emotions, and talk through interpersonal challenges, their unmet needs can escalate into fights, disciplinary action, and eventual school push-out. As Nia describes, for many students these consequences can be life-altering.

We cannot accept these conditions for our young people when changing them is within our power. CDC research points to school connectedness as a powerful protective factor for youth mental health. The Student Life Center is built around a straightforward theory of change: when young people have consistent relationships with trusted, trauma-informed adults, safe spaces to regulate emotions, responsive and concrete support in times of need, and meaningful opportunities for belonging and leadership, they are better equipped to navigate stress, resolve conflict, and thrive.

The impact is visible in students like Nia, who regard the Student Life Center as having a huge influence on students’ engagement in school. It’s also visible in students like Amara (a pseudonym), a recent graduate who struggled with emotional dysregulation that frequently led to conflict and disciplinary referrals. Through Amped supports, she developed strategies for recognizing dysregulation, grounding herself, and preventing escalation. The changes in her discipline record, which was once peppered with referrals, reflect that transformation. Amara’s story, like Nia’s, is special, but not unique: in 2025-26, 88% of students in Amped programming reported that they find it “easy” or “very easy” to talk to an adult when they have problems in school.

The Student Life Center’s pilot year engaged 171 students across 696 visits, which reveals an important point: whether they come for Get Right, hygiene products, community resources, or to speak to a trusted adult, students don’t just come to the Student Life Center; they come back. The nearly 100 restorative conferences that Humanities Amped led over the course of the year provided dedicated space for Tara High students to express needs, navigate conflict, and access community and school-based resources. Ms. Harris and Ms. Pack, who run the Student Life Center and facilitate these conferences, have built a well-earned reputation on campus for taking students seriously, listening without judgment, and providing clear, concrete support.

The activity of the Student Life Center in 2026-27 is already far outpacing our pilot year, and we cannot sustain this important work without the support of our community. If you would like to help this work continue to grow, please make a donation today.

Learn more about our work at humanitiesamped.org.