Central York High Schools’ Xaler club is new in the 2021-2022 school year and its goal is to offer a place for students to “recharge and build connections”. When first looking at the name of the club many are perplexed, however the word xaler spelled backwards reveals the word “relax”, the mission of this club. The creators of this club wanted students to have a place where they can take a break from stresses in their life. 

    “I felt it was a great fit…it was so astounding to hear, these students go through so much,” said club supervisor and CYHS school psychologist, Ashlee Linton.

    The club was founded by two students last year but due to COVID-19, clubs were not in session. However, these students along with Linton, planned projects and activities for when clubs were able to resume.  

    Xaler wanted to provide the student body with resources and educate them on mental health and relaxation methods. The club is student-led and the members were the ones who came up with the idea of creating stress kits to brighten up CYHS. 

    The goal is to aid in bringing a better energy to the school and the stress kits were constructed and placed in the guidance office Feb. 23. These bags included a stress ball, a starburst for “a burst of energy” , a peppermint, a small fidget toy, scratch and sniff stickers and an eraser. The goal was to have at least one item to pertain to each of the five senses and bring some nostalgia for students when they open these up.   The club assembled 28 bags because they were uncertain of the reactions they would receive.  However, Linton explained how she was happily shocked that by the morning of Feb. 24 all the bags were gone. 

    With the overall satisfaction with the kits, Xaler is in the process of making more kits and their goal to make 40 more within their next two club meetings. 

    As the year progresses the club has grown and members hope to collaborate with other CYHS clubs with similar intentions such as Aevidum, Pink Panthers and Beautiful People’s Club. 

The Xaler club meets on day six in room 133 and encourages people to become interested in the club to boost relaxation and mental health education.