Keeping Track of Others During the Holiday Break from High School Activity Programs

It has been a great start to the 2025-26 school year with record numbers of students participating in fall sports and other activity programs. While many of these individuals have been involved in state championships, the major benefit of high school activity programs is the connectivity that students have with each other in a team setting.

With the upcoming holidays, student connectivity may be lost for several weeks. While time away from school and activities to connect with family and other friends is important, the stress of the busy holiday season can bring additional challenges for students. Through all the celebrations over the next few weeks, it is important that students have outlets for handling these potentially stressful times.

During the holidays, the time away from school and activities may not be a positive experience for some students – and potentially others in the school community. That’s why it is so important that everyone – students, parents, teachers, coaches, officials and administrators – keeps a close watch on each other and is aware of those who might be in need during this time of year.  

The NFHS Learning Center (www.NFHSLearn.com) offers a free course – Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention – to offer help before situations reach crisis stage. With stress, anxiety and depression sometimes escalating during the holidays, this course highlights causes, strategies and provides helpful resources.

In addition, the NFHS started the #WeSeeYou campaign several years ago to address the mental health challenges faced by students in high school activity programs. It was created to assist in creating a culture within school communities where everyone is checking in on each other, supporting each other and looking out for each other. The #WeSeeYou emphasis on the NFHS website (www.nfhs.org) includes information on the 988 Suicide and Crisis Line as well as many organizations that provide crisis and emergency assistance.

During the holidays, empathy is even more important. Creating a culture of caring isn’t just good for students; it is good for everyone. When we demonstrate empathy through listening, connecting and caring, students begin to understand they are not alone. 

            One of the great benefits of education-based athletics within our nation’s schools is that individuals involved in these programs become a family, and family members look out for each other and support each other. When activity programs come to a halt for the holidays, the support system ends for many young people. With students off the fields, courts and stages over the next couple of weeks, everyone must make an extra effort to look out for each other.   

We want to wish everyone a joyous holiday season, but during these celebratory times, let’s be sure to take care of each other.

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Dr. Karissa L. Niehoff is in her eighth year as chief executive officer of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) in Indianapolis, Indiana. She is the first female to head the national leadership organization for high school athletics and performing arts activities and the sixth full-time executive director of the NFHS. She previously was executive director of the Connecticut Association of Schools-Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference for seven years.