Care Solace

Appolonia is a School Social Worker for Clark County School District and shows up for students with both clinical skill and deep compassion. In a high-needs school setting, she supports students in crisis, works with families facing real barriers like transportation and access to care, and builds bridges across systems so no student falls through the cracks.

This year, Appolonia faced one of the hardest moments a school professional can face. When a student was tragically struck and killed by a vehicle, a breakdown in communication meant she was the one who had to tell the family. She sat with the student's mother and siblings and delivered news no one is ever prepared to hear, then helped lead the school's response by organizing a memorial, coordinating with crisis response teams, and setting up a safe space where students could process their loss.

Thank you, Appolonia, for your care, your presence, and your unwavering commitment to students and families. 💙

To kick off BIPOC Mental Health Month, we're celebrating Sharnell, a school social worker with Ann Arbor Public Schools and founder of Dear Self Care.

Sharnell has made it her mission to eradicate the stigma around mental health in BIPOC communities. She knows that traditional approaches don't resonate with everyone, so she's built something different: workshops, vision board experiences, and guided conversations that feel interactive, affirming, and rooted in authenticity.

Through Dear Self Care, she's creating space for students to talk openly about their emotions, process what they're carrying, and learn practical self-care strategies they can actually use.

Sharnell's work reminds us that normalizing mental health conversations in BIPOC communities isn't a one-time effort. It's ongoing, intentional, and deeply needed.

Meet Joshua, a 2026 Care Hero and Mental Health Therapist at Desert Sands Unified School District.

When there's a crisis, a coverage gap, or a colleague who needs backup, Joshua's response is always the same. How can I help?

He has built a reputation as someone who steps in without being asked and stays until the job is done. Joshua's dedication and collaborative spirit make him an invaluable part of the school-based mental health team and the entire district. We are so grateful for the work you do, Joshua!