1. WORK, LEARN & GROW NEWSLETTER Issue 6
Work,
Learn &
Grow
Newsletter
Issue Date
HENRY STREET SETTLEMENT IN THIS ISSUE
It can be inferred that stress is a
constant factor in WLG participant’s
since we all go to school. For some of
us midterms have started and thus an
increase of stress occurs. Stress can
come from an overflow of
homework, upcoming tests/quizzes
and even from us overthinking. We
let stress consume us because we do
not understand what stress is and how
to overcome it. Kelly Lennon-
Martucci, Direct of School Based
Mental Health Clinics for Henry
Street Settlement (HSS) in an
interview extensively sets the record
straight on stress.
Eona John: Before we start to delve
into the ins and outs of stress and
how to relieve it I think the most
important question to ask is - what is
stress?
Kelly Lennon-Martucci: Stress is
subjective, as it is experienced
differently for each person and stress
"triggers" or otherwise known as
"stressors" are different for everyone
based on their current life
circumstances and environment. In
general, my view is that stress is a
reaction to an event, recurring
situation, or even danger. Our body
signals to us that it is stressed through
physiological responses, such as,
stomach aches, sleep disturbance,
body aches, appetite disruptions,
increased heart rate, sweating, and
even racing thoughts.
John: Wow! Lately I have been
getting stomach aches even when I
have just finished eating, but what
exactly causes stress?
Lennon-Martucci: Stress can be
caused by a reaction to immediate
danger, which can be a fight, flight,
or freeze response in the body. Stress
can also be recurring based on long
term situations, like a sick family
member, ongoing divorce,
discrimination, bullying, new school
setting, a job, or a recent move.
John: Hmm. Because causation is
not correlation (vice versa) then
based on the few factors you pointed
out I cannot completely identify what
is the source of my stress. Am I alone
in this? Can anyone experience
stress? (Continued on page 2)
How to Relieve Stress
Kelly Lennon-Martucci, Director of School Based
Mental Health Clinics for Henry Street Settlement
HSS) talks about the importance of relieve stress and
the components of stress.
Page 1 and 2
It’s Okay to Not Be Okay
A column written by Eona John, WLG Intern, narrating
her journey to being okay with not being okay.
Page 3
Welcome New Staff
WLG Staff members would like to introduce new HSS
Staff members
Page 3
Water Crisis in Flint, Michigan
A report on the current event concerning the lead
contamination of Flint, Michigan’s water source.
Page 4
Raffle Winner
WLG Staff would like to congratulate…
Page 4
IMPORTANT DATES COMING UP:
 Syep Participant Application
Due Date: 4/15
 WLG End Date: 4/15
How to Relieve
Stress
By Eona John

2. WORK, LEARN & GROW NEWSLETTER Issue 6
Lennon-Martucci: You are most certainly not alone in
this. Even I sometimes cannot identify the source of my
stress. Everyone and anyone can experience stress. I
believe no one is immune to stress; however we can all
find ways to manage stress or cope with stress. Whatever
technique or method one comes up with to manage or
cope with the stress being experience the aim should be to
decrease the impact caused by the stress on our body and
mind. I believe that the more we commit to self-care and
the more coping skills we build up in ourselves, the better
we are at handling the challenges life throws our way.
John: You mentioned, “Whatever technique or method
one comes up with to manage or cope with the stress
being experience the aim should be to decrease the impact
caused by the stress on our body and mind.” With the
focus on the phrase “stress being experienced,” is it
correct to conclude that there are different types of stress?
Lennon-Martucci: Yes you are correct in concluding that
there are different types of stress. When I do parent or
student workshops on how to stress less for a test, I always
talk about how not all stress is negative. Stress or anxiety
increases our adrenaline, which can help us with
performance in the short-term. Stress becomes negative
when our nervous system is not able to slow down and
continues to perceive pressure, when pressure is no longer
there. So there is helpful stress - that makes our body and
mind respond quickly for performance purposes (and even
danger) and unhelpful stress - when our body and mind
feel depleted because our nervous system continues to
be activated when it should be slowing down.
John: Unhelpful stress equals negative stress. Helpful
stress equals positive stress. I thought that stress in its
entirety was negative. Thank you for clearing that up that
misconception. I don’t think that any participants of WLG
would like to continue containing negative stress, so what
are some ways to release unhelpful stress?
Lennon-Martucci: There are many ways to reduce stress;
however it is always about finding the best match for
each individual. My training as a yoga teacher and
clinical social worker has taught me that we carry stress in
our bodies and need to find a physical release. For some
people that physical release will be yoga, for others it may
be walking, running, gardening, biking, playing an
instrument, doing art work, or playing basketball. I also
believe that the concept of stress is all about our
mindset. What I mean by this is that our thoughts are
powerful - how we think about situations will ultimately
define how we feel about our situations or circumstances,
and then determine how we respond or act. If we are able
to change our unhelpful thinking patterns to more helpful
ways of thinking, we will notice that we will feel different
and behave differently. This sounds like a simple concept,
but it takes practice to change the way we think - building
up that resiliency will help us to bounce back during tough
times. I also think it is important that we acknowledge to
ourselves that stress is not always bad, but a signal to tell
us to take care of ourselves and slow down. In general,
these are always the basics of self-care that help manage
stress- getting enough sleep, eating well, life/work
balance, physical release, and making time for fun.
John: Changing the way we think. Now that’s a different
topic, but as you pointed out so brilliantly changing our
way of thinking to more positivity can help relieve stress.
On a side note, thank you for inspiring the next possible
topic of WLG’s newsletter. Do you have some resources
that students can access virtually to help cope with their
stress?
Lennon-Martucci: Lucky for WLG participants, the
students that my team and I work with in Henry Street's
School Based Mental Health Clinic Program are more up
to date with technology! Mindfulness and meditation are a
part of the therapeutic process with our students, so we
sometimes use apps to assist with a mindfulness based
stress reduction activity or to help with learning
meditation. For teens, there is a resource called NYC
Teen, which addresses all different topics related to stress
and mental health:
http://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/health-topics/teen-
home.page
John: In the physical world, where can students go to get
help releasing their stress?
Lennon-Martucci: Students can see if they have a school
based mental health clinic on-site, go to their guidance
counselor or school social worker, and seek outside
support through after school programs that include the arts
or sports.
John: To reiterate the point of this article, why is it
important to stay stress-free health wise?
Lennon-Martucci: Chronic stress can impact our
physical and mental health, which results in overall poor
functioning. There have been many studies that show how
stress impacts our immune system and can lead to
physical illness. Chronic stress can also lead to more
serious mental health issues, such as, depression, anxiety,
mood disorders, and substance abuse.
John: Drawing upon context clues chronic stress is
unhelpful stress. I am certain my English professor would
be proud. Assuming that you are aware of who Bob
Marley is, one of his famous verses is, “Don’t worry about
a thing, cause every little thing is gonna be alright,” *you
have to sing this, one simply cannot state it* do you agree
with this verse?
Lennon-Martucci: While I'm definitely a Bob Marley
fan, I think this verse can be viewed a few different
ways. If you dismiss the worries or stress and not
acknowledge your experience or experience of others, it
can be invalidating and doesn't help build resiliency.
However, when I think about this song, I also think about
the power of our thoughts - that thinking how "every little
thing is gonna be alright" can be a helpful mantra during
hard times. I also think there is an additional message -
that every feeling or experience is always temporary -
even stress.

3. WORK, LEARN & GROW NEWSLETTER Issue 6
Johanna Ramirez is the SYEP Program Coordinator. She
oversees the three SYEP locations that Henry Street has
(Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan) and ensures that there
is enough work sites and jobs for the SYEP participants for
the summer. She recently has acquired the position of
SYEP Program Coordinator.
Johanna Ramirez is a fellow alumni participant of SYEP.
She was an SYEP participant at the tender age of 15. She
worked with a summer camp and through that position she
acquired a permanent position at the same organization for
seven years! Johanna Ramirez credits her experience with
SYEP for getting her into the social work field. She is
beyond excited to give the same/similar experience that she
had to the generation after her.
When asked what are some challenges that accompany her
title she responds, "There's a lot of tedious assignments that
has to be done before the program starts, but it's totally
worth the trouble when seeing the growth of the
participants after andyg the program. She looks forward to
networking with various professionals that share the same
passion that I have for improving the community.
Mellisa Bascom is the SYEP Data Entry Associate. She is
in charge of inputting SYEP applications into the system,
and finding work sites for SYEP applicants. She recently
has acquired the position of SYEP Program Coordinator.
Mellisa Bascom is a fellow alumni participant of SYEP.
She participated in SYEP when she was sixteen years old.
She worked with NYCHA housing in Jamaica, Queens as
an Office Assistant. Mellisa Bascom is now working with
SYEP to assist current and future participants in gaining
better experience in the work field. She hopes to learn how
to conduct work readiness workshops for SYEP
participants.
It Is Okay To Not Be Okay
A Column written by Eona John.
School! Books! Academic Education! From the sweet old age
of fetus those words were ingrained in my brain. I was not
allowed to stray far from institutionalized education. The
words that were ingrained in my head since I was in the
womb led me to become salutatorian of my high school. This
should tell you something about me. No I promise I am not
being arrogant. Anything less than an A was a failure to me.
This certainly excludes gym (what! I had a physically
demanding teacher)! Notice how I mentioned that anything
less than an A was a failure to me.
Was. This means it is a part of the past. I entered Bernard M.
Baruch City University of New York (CUNY) on August 27,
2015. I knew my competition. I knew what I was up against
after all I was attending Baruch College - the top CUNY. I did
not want my college career to be like my high school career. I
wanted to be a part of the school, and not remain a spectator.
This did not mean I gave up on my academics. I still visited
the library and went to my professors’ office hours. To be a
part of my college I had to join a club. That I did. FUSION is
the name of the club that I am currently active in. It is a
Filipino cultural based social club. I am one hundred percent
unapologetically Black, so no I am not part Filipino. The
members were welcoming and gave out positive vibes.
Soon after came the cultural dishes. I tasted Lumpia, a
specialty in the Philippines. Then I tasted a Japanese dish
which had a boil egg in the middle and the yolk was still
runny. I had Bubble Tea for the first time much to the surprise
of my club members. I tasted a medium rare burger for the
first time (definitely not my thing) and much to the dismay of
taste buds I learnt the difference between medium rare,
medium well, and well done at a Turkish Restaurant. I had
Thai Pad and Green Curry with rice and shrimp. I never saw
green curry in my life and believe me Guyanese people love
curry (Yes, I am Guyanese. Immigrant American - take that
Trump!)
I experimented. I experimented with life. I started looking at
the positives of all situations instead of focusing on the
negative. This is where I learned that it is okay to not be
okay. Recently I had a breakdown due to the stress that comes
with the academic part of college. I was getting to classes late
and uninspired with college career. I was tired coming from
work. Most importantly what stressed me out was the trending
fear of being a failure. I was not brought up to expect failure. I
was not brought up to achieve failure. Failure was not in any
of my family dialogues. It was and is looked down upon.
After talking with my fellow peers I realized that I was not the
only one. How they coped with the fear of being a failure was
by reinstating the motto “It is okay to not be okay.” I am
nowhere near being okay but that is alright. It is a part of life.
Welcome to Henry
Street!
By Eona John

4. WORK, LEARN & GROW NEWSLETTER Issue 6
The water crisis in Flint, Michigan is a clear cut case of action versus inaction given
the past and present economic background of Flint, Michigan, and the failure of
agencies on a local, state, and federal level.
City officials of Flint, Michigan and state officials of Michigan agreed to switch
Flint, Michigan’s water source from a Detroit system to the Flint River. The
switches of water sources were made in April of 2014. Soon after residents of Flint,
Michigan complained of the new conditions of their water, unfortunately the city
and state dismissed their concerns.
First let’s understand why the switch occurred. Cast aside and left for rotten Flint,
Michigan was an auto industry run city. For years the Flint River has been the
dumping site of the factories. According to Sarah Hullet from npr WNYC Radio, in
April 2014, Flint was unable to come to an agreement on a short-term contract with
a water system in Detroit and will be buying water from a new system. However,
that new system won’t be online until sometime 2016. Both systems mentioned
draw their water from Lake Huron. The switch to the Flint River was all done in the
name of saving money. On the quest for saving a few bucks the local and state
agencies are losing more money than they bargained for. Sarah Hullet wrote the
article, High Lead Levels in Michigan Kids After City Switches Water Source on
September 29th of 2015 and updated it on October 5th, 2015. During that time city
and state regulators said that they were going to put together a corrosion plan to
reduce lead exposure. Action vs. Inaction. Local and state agencies are now acting
on the issue, albeit a little too late.
Second, it was discovered on the local/city level alone that poor organization led to poor city management. According to
Yanan Wang from The Washington Post, the switch to the Flint River was made under the administration of former Mayor
Dayne Walling. Flint never abided by the strict federal guidelines for water systems to develop inventories of the material in
distribution systems according to Ron Fonger from Michigan Live. On November 9th, 2015 the Michigan Department of
Environmental Quality ordered the city of Flint to supply it with the distribution system inventory that should have been
completed by Jan 1st, 1992 states Fonger in the article, Documents Show Flint Filed False Reports About Testing for Lead in
Water. Action vs. Inaction. 2015 minus 1992 equals 23. Twenty -three years of inaction on the state and local level. Fonger
goes on to state that the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality has acknowledged that it contributed to the problem
when it mistakenly allowed the city to use river water for more than 17 months without treating it to make it less corrosive.
This is not to say that poor organization and city management are entirely to blame for the water crisis in Flint, Michigan.
In the end, a generation is doomed before it even took flight. It should be common knowledge by now that lead is a toxic
agent that can damage the nervous system. It’s why we don’t use lead paint in our homes, and why Barbie doesn’t make their
dolls with lead anymore. The FBI, Federal prosecutors in Michigan, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the EPA are all now
investigating how such a crisis was allowed to happen. Before all the state and federal agencies that were mentioned, there
were concerned citizens like Lee Ann Walters and Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha. Dr.Hanna-Attisha brought attention to the
elevated levels of lead in the blood of the children of Flint. Before the doctor it was Lee Ann Walters. Lee Ann Walters is an
ordinary citizen like each and every one of us that is a part of WLG. She was the concerned citizen who reached out and
helped start the groundworks for getting national attention to the polemic faced in Flint. We are all Lee Ann Walters.
Baruch’s Black Student Union is a part of a campaign that is helping to tackle the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. We can do
our part to help the residents of Flint, Michigan by donating whatever amount we can afford to the campaign link shown
here. https://www.gofundme.com/e8nyymj8%E2%80%8B/
RAFFLE WINNER!
WLG Staff would like to
congratulate Charles Chen
as the winner for the Six
Flags Raffle!!!
Great Job Charles!
Water Crisis in Flint,
Michigan
By Eona John