The University of New Mexico’s Health Science Campus is currently hosting the artwork made by students who are part of the Garfield STEM Magnet and Community Middle School “Circle Keepers.”
The “Circle Keepers” are students working together to provide mentorship to their peers who may struggle with their mental health or need help navigating their personal relationships.
The students volunteer their time to the club where they learn about restorative practice. Students focus on relationships and repairing harm, instead of traditional discipline which focuses on broken rules and consequences.
At the artist reception for the exhibit, Erin Chavez, Garfield Middle School’s restorative practices coordinator, said the school has cut suspensions by 83% over the last three years.
The children shared what the “Circle” meant to them, highlighting its focus on repairing relations when they have been damaged.
“We’re focusing on relationships and repairing relationships,” Chavez said. “Instead of just focusing on punitive consequences, where kids are isolated and can be disconnected from school.”
In February and March of 2024, the middle school students of Albuquerque Public Schools led a workshop, alongside UNM’s College of Education and Human Sciences, in order to learn more about restorative practice, according to the UNM College of Education and Human Sciences.
The APS Peer Helpers Program provides the training in mental health and suicide prevention to students within “Circle Keepers.” The Helpers Program provides schools with monthly outreach that focuses on suicide prevention.
Many students also expressed their gratitude and dedicated their motivation to their mentor; Chavez, who is the leader of the “Circle Keepers.”
“Circles” are also held for students, which is a safe space to gather and share things about themselves with each other.
The “Restoring the Circle” exhibit will be up until the end of September. The artwork focuses on students' perspective of mental health, and what they have experienced from providing mentorship to other students as a “Circle Keeper.”
The exhibit is located on UNM’s Northern HSC campus, in the Domininci Center West Wing, which is open Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
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Lexis Lovato is a beat reporter with the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on X @lovatolexis
