Warde DECA Student Ella Kilgannon Leads Mental Health Awareness Pop-Up Shop

Fairfield, CT – Ella Kilgannon, a Fairfield Warde High School sophomore and *DECA member, hosted a "Here for You Clothing Pop-Up Shop" on Dec. 19 to raise awareness about mental health during the holiday season.

The event featured clothing and accessories from Here for You Clothing, a Fairfield-based brand that promotes mental well-being through positive messaging. Attendees, including students, faculty and local legislators, engaged in conversations about mental health and gained access to resources.

Driven by her DECA project, Kilgannon emphasized the importance of creating a supportive community. "I wanted to provide comfort and remind students they’re not alone during the holidays," she noted.

The event was widely successful according to organizers and participants, helping to draw attention to the importance of normalizing conversations around mental health while providing students with practical tools and support.

Learn more at hereforyouclothing.com.

• DECA" refers to the "Devereux Early Childhood Assessment", a standardized assessment tool used to evaluate the social and emotional development of young children, typically from infancy to age five, with the goal of identifying strengths and potential areas of concern to promote their mental wellbeing and resilience; it is considered a strength-based approach to early childhood mental health assessment.