Arovista Elementary School marked an important milestone in student wellness with the grand opening and ribbon cutting of its new WellSpace on Dec. 18. The celebration highlighted a powerful collaboration focused on supporting students’ mental health, emotional well-being, and overall success.
The WellSpace is the result of a partnership between Rady Children’s Health and the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE), made possible through generous philanthropic support from external donors, including the Swenson Family Foundation. Together, these partners worked closely with the Arovista community to bring one of Orange County’s first elementary school WellSpaces to life.
A WellSpace is a dedicated, calming environment designed to help students pause, reset, and build healthy emotional regulation skills during the school day. It provides students with a safe and supportive place to practice mindfulness, calming strategies, and self-regulation skills before stress interferes with learning, shared OCDE and Rady Children’s Health. “By offering brief, structured activities that build coping skills and resilience, WellSpaces strengthen student mental health, promote positive school engagement, and support academic success.”
Operating within the district’s Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS), the WellSpace serves as an accessible entry point for wellness support at a universal level, while also helping connect students to early intervention and tiered services when needed. In addition to student support, WellSpaces are used for wellness activities, parent education, hands-on skills development, and school-based programs that promote mental well-being.
The initiative aligns closely with Orange County’s broader commitment to whole-child education and social-emotional learning.
“OCDE and Rady’s WellSpace initiative reinforces countywide efforts to ensure every student has the tools they need to thrive academically and emotionally,” partners shared. “WellSpaces act as a hub for mental health and social-emotional supports, helping schools identify student needs across all tiers and connect them to appropriate resources.”
As one of the first elementary WellSpaces in Orange County through these partnerships, the Arovista project reflects a deep level of collaboration among education, health, and community partners.
“Through shared planning and a commitment to student well-being, we were able to create a developmentally appropriate space where young learners can practice emotional regulation and build resilience,” said OCDE and Rady representatives. “Philanthropic support from the Swenson Family Foundation allowed us to expand this model to serve our youngest school-age children, demonstrating how community-focused partnerships can create meaningful, sustainable mental health supports.”
During the celebration on Dec. 18, representatives of the Swenson Family Foundation shared that the WellSpace is also about providing hope. Christopher Lentz of the Swenson Foundation shared that Arovista’s WellSpace is just the beginning. “This will be the pebble that carries ripple effects,” he shared. His family hopes that this will reach other elementary schools and even down to the preschool level.
Partners also emphasized that this type of collaboration is especially critical for meeting the growing mental health needs of K–6 students. “Schools are often the first—and sometimes the only—place where children can access mental health support,” they shared.
“Through this partnership we are ensuring that care is developmentally appropriate, proactive, and grounded in best practices both on the educational side and pediatric side,” said Principal Eric Barrientos.
From a health system perspective, embedding WellSpaces within schools allows providers to reach students earlier—before challenges escalate into crisis—while strengthening connections between families, schools, and care systems. From an education perspective, addressing mental health directly supports attendance, engagement, and academic success.
“Students today are experiencing higher levels of stress, anxiety, and social-emotional challenges than ever before,” partners noted. “Mental health and academic success are deeply connected, and proactive wellness spaces like the WellSpace give students tools they can use for a lifetime.”
As Arovista Elementary opens the doors to its new WellSpace, the school community looks forward to the positive impact it will have—supporting students not only in moments of stress, but in building resilience, confidence, and lifelong skills that help them thrive in school and beyond.