Update with Complete Solution
Interview with Peggy Solumn, math teacher
Interviewee organization: Kamiakan Middle School
Interview date: 4/29/25 at 6:30 pm
A1a:
When asked about the current mental health or emotional well being issues that exist within the school
community, Peggy was very adamant in her admission to how devastating the Covid19 virus and the
state government’s lockdown response was in traumatizing the students within the age group that she
teaches. The transitional development from elementary to middle school was retarded by the
institutional requirement of online class lectures, which ultimately both amplified the loss of peer
association and social develop, as well as inhibiting curriculum acquisition.
Peggy also mentioned a second current issue being substance abuse. While the general laws related
cannabis have changed in recent years for purchase/use within the general adult population in the state
of Washington, it is still however technically illegal for young middle school teens. Yet however, even this
fact doesn’t completely curtail its association within her school’s population. Peggy believes this trend is
related to the reduced social and academic development associated with the lockdown, and is a
byproduct of the increased anxieties because of it.
A1b:
In terms of school-based resources available to treat and/or extinguish any of these issues, Peggy
mentioned how Kamiakan relies on a group of counselor interns based out of an organization called
Eastside Mental Health. These interns take the students into private settings to discuss their anxieties,
their causes and methods to either better deal with and/or conquer them completely.
However, in regard to substance abuse, Peggy stated the school administration will almost always deal
with these situations, and sometime even include possible police involvement.
Part 2: Community Resources
B:
A place in the community that Peggy said was commonly used to address the behavior issues, anxieties
and life conditions associated with substance abuse among the Kamiakan Middle school population is
the Therapeutic Health Services (or THS). THS is a state funded nonprofit that can provide medication