St Martins Lutheran College last week celebrated R U OK? Day, with students and staff encouraged to reach out to their friends and family and have a genuine conversation about mental health.

The college community was encouraged to wear yellow while the campus was decked out in yellow.

Festivities continued around the campus with student leaders baking and selling yellow cupcakes and running various themed activities.

R U OK? Day was largely initiated and organised by Year 12 student representative Bridie McPherson, who was eager to shed light on the issue following her own experiences with mental health.

The week concluded with a presentation from clinical psychologist Josh Peters, who delved into what to actually say and do when someone says they are not okay.

“One of the very important messages about R U OK? Day is that you do not need to be a mental health professional to have a positive impact on someone who is experiencing emotional challenges,” St Martins counsellor Jane Savage said.

“Many people worry they will say or do the wrong thing, but it is the simple act of connection with others by way of a conversation that can be life changing for those around us. You do not need to have all the answers, simply listening and supporting someone to get help if needed is enough for people who are struggling.”

Principal Alan Connah said St Martins was a family-friendly school with a strong sense of community, where everybody was valued for who they were as an individual.

“The wellbeing of our students and staff is very important to us, as we strive to be a welcoming, caring, Christ-centred learning community, where students grow, flourish and are inspired to make a difference. R U OK? Day helps remind us of how important it is to look out for those we live and work with every day,” Mr Connah said.

While the yellow may have only lasted the week, everyone involved reiterated the importance of continually checking in with others.