Left to right: Iceberg Tournament Committee Co-Chair Mike Murray, PWPSD Deputy Superintendent Darren Young, Iceberg Tournament Committee Co-Chair Tara Melezko
Peace Wapiti Public School Division (PWPSD) thanks the Iceberg Hockey Tournament and its organizers for their support of its students and families. This year, the Division received a $5000 donation for mental health resources.
“These funds will help deliver the necessary educational psychological evaluations to students in our division who would otherwise go without,” says PWPSD Deputy Superintendent Darren Young, “I am very grateful to Tara and Mike for their continued support and leadership.” These assessments are delivered by trained psychologists from the Peace Collaborative Services Rehabilitation team, and can cost up to $2,500 for a single evaluation.
The Iceberg Hockey Tournament, founded in 2017, aims to raise funds for and awareness of children’s mental health. The organization’s website says, “All tournament proceeds provide direct funding for mental health assessments. This has allowed children to receive ed-psych evaluations much faster than the typical wait time, which can be years, as well as help with the cost.” To date, the Iceberg Hockey Tournament has raised nearly $140,000 for children’s mental health in our area.
This year’s tournament was held at the J.D.A. County Sportsplex from March 27-29. 10 teams of players aged 13 and 14 from Alberta and BC participated in the fun three-day competition.
Mental Health Stats
- Youth are at the highest risk of suicide
- 1 in 5 people will experience a mental health disorder in their lifetime
- 70% of mental health disorders can be identified between 12 and 25 years of age
- Waitlists for services and supports for youth in a mental health crisis are one year or more
PWPSD’s Wellness team focuses on supporting the positive mental health of students. If you’d like to learn more about wellness at PWPSD, visit our website.