Venice High was the first-ever school to be documented for a KLCS-TV mental health series. KLCS-TV is LAUSD’s television channel. 

Psychiatric social worker Rosa Escobar has helped organize the production of the first episode featuring Venice. Escobar is proud that Venice offers many mental health services, especially because of COVID-19 and quarantining affected students in many ways.

“Coming back from being home, and now back here—there’s a lot of anxiety,” she said.

Venice High was chosen because of its many mental health resources for students, including Margaret’s Place’s Peer Leadership and Mental Health Advocacy, Escobar said.

Escobar said that Venice High is trailblazing mental health efforts in LAUSD.

The series premiere was filmed in the Learning Garden, the front lawn, Margaret’s Place, and the Shop building.

The interviewees chosen were Club Representatives selected by their Club Sponsor, including freshmen Ridhima Arora.

“I was exposed to more ideas on mental health and how our school helps with it and how different people deal with it,” she said.

Topics discussed with the interviewees included helping individuals struggling with their mental health.

“We also talked about ways to help a friend or someone you know who is struggling with mental health by learning ways how to help them, talk to them about the situation, if they are comfortable or not, and if not, recommending them to someone they trust,” said Arora.

All episodes of the show will debut sometime in May.