Sean's Room will be a place for Saint Mark's students to discuss and learn about mental health. (Jarek Rutz/Delaware LIVE News)

Saint Mark’s unveils Sean’s Room, a mental health lounge

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

Sean's Room will be a place for Saint Mark's students to discuss and learn about mental health. (Jarek Rutz/Delaware LIVE News)

Sean’s Room will be a place for Saint Mark’s students to discuss and learn about mental health. (Jarek Rutz/Delaware LIVE News)

Saint Mark’s High School students were anointed with holy water Friday as the Catholic school opened a mental health center named for a former student whose 2018 suicide led to a movement to help other youth cope.

“Let us ask God’s blessing on all who will enter into this place, seeking peace and guidance and upon those who will be here to offer an ear to listen and strength support and lift up,” said Deacon Pat Johnston. 

Sean’s Room is an extension of Sean’s House, a mental health center in Newark that serves 14- to 22-year-olds. 

Both are named for Sean Locke.

Saint Mark's students applauding for the new mental health lounge. (Jarek Rutz/Delaware LIVE News)

Saint Mark’s students applauding for the new mental health lounge. (Jarek Rutz/Delaware LIVE News)

Mental health support

“Sean Locke is a beloved Spartan who loved this school,” said Principal Diane Casey. “Today is a great day to let our light shine and be the light for others.”

So far, the home has helped more than 18,000 Delawareans get the mental health treatment and support they need. 

Sean’s Room is a  former classroom converted into a lounge where students can relax, ask questions and learn about mental health.

Sean’s Room will be staffed by University of Delaware specialists two days per week during lunch periods. 

Specialists will work with Saint Mark’s guidance staff to keep continuity of care consistent while handling everyday student concerns.

On both ends of the main lounge are two smaller breakout rooms where students can have one-on-one time with UD workers.

The school declined to identify the donor or donation amount that paid for the room.

Casey said mental health struggles have increased because of the pandemic isolating children.

Returning to normalcy after years of masking and online classes was overwhelming to a lot of students, she said. 

According to the SL24:Unlocke the Light Foundation, which runs Sean’s House and Sean’s Room, more than 35 million people in America suffer from depression.

Two of Sean’s former classmates and friends  told Friday’s crowd that Sean’s Room is an incredible way to honor Sean’s legacy. They asked students to take advantage of the room because they always thought Sean was the last person who would be struggling mentally. 

Sean’s House was created in 2020, and Saint Mark’s started planning to add a Sean’s Room on its campus about two months ago.

“Room 156, with natural sunlight coming through the windows, was the perfect place,” Casey said.

 

Chris Locke

Chris Locke

Chris Locke, Sean’s father, said that he plans to open additional Sean’s Rooms in Delaware schools, but wanted to start with the place where his son left such an impact.

 

“You know you have a Sean in your life, and that’s why all of you are in this room today,” he said. “Each of you wants to make a difference for how we deal with mental health with this generation.”

Locke admitted he and his father never spoke about mental health, and he never knew how to talk to Sean about the subject. 

“I did not create an environment where Sean could come and open up about what he was struggling with,” he said. “I would have said all the wrong things. I would have told him to suck it up.”

Mental health struggles do not discriminate, Locke said. 

Sean held his demons inside even though he was a star athlete, homecoming king and heavily involved in extracurricular activities, his dad said.

“It could be the kid that has no friends in the cafeteria, or it could be Sean who had all the friends in the cafeteria,” Locke said. “This is your room now. This is what you make of it.”

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