“I love you.”
These are three simple words used to show one’s affection for another, usually coming from a deep place in a person’s heart.
Every year, on the second Friday of February, students dress in purple to support P.S. I Love You Day. This year P.S. I Love You Day has landed on Valentine’s Day, February 14th.
This New York non-profit organization, created in 2010, was made to spread recognition about mental health and achieve the goal of helping students to break the stigma around mental health. It encourages students to foster a kind and welcoming environment – as mental health is just as important as physical health. Wearing purple throughout school and the community demonstrates strength and unity to onlookers. Struggling students will see this immense support through halls that are flooded with purple and realize they are not alone.
Ms. Pignataro, an East Islip High School counselor believes “there’s something powerful in unity.” She explains how participating in this day is “a positive and simple way to educate lots of people. You can spread a message in a fun and engaging way in something as simple as wearing the same color.”
This movement started 15 years ago at West Islip High School. Joseph DiPalma was a retired NYPD officer and an uplifting man who was always smiling. Upsettingly, he committed suicide on April 23rd, 2010. DiPalma was a father, a husband, and a person who was heavily involved in the West Islip community. Brooke DiPalma, who was only 14, was dropped off at school by her father, and unknowingly said her last words to him: “I love you.” Brooke along with her whole family was understandably devastated, but Brooke responded to her grief by creating something for her community. She felt the need to raise awareness around suicides as she and her family had little idea their father was struggling. Brooke took her father’s last three words to her, and with the help of her family, her sister Jaimie, and West Islip High School class club, she used this personal tragedy to spread love and support to thousands of other people and started P.S. I Love You Day.
Mrs. Schwarz, the East Islip High School Health teacher, knows how important it is for students to not be afraid of letting other people know they are struggling. There is always someone out there supporting them, and they can always ask for help. “There are a lot of people who go through hard times,” she said. “So I think that by making people aware that it’s okay if you’re struggling is a really positive message.”
Each year P.S. I Love You Day has a different theme, with this year’s being “A brighter tomorrow begins today.”
Each theme is an inspirational quote that goes along with the P.S. I Love You Day’s ideals, and is usually found on their merchandise. These quotes have a moving message behind them. Some other themes have been “Be proud of who you are,” “Love is meant to be given,” and “Love all your chapters.”
This organization started in West Islip and has spread all over high schools, workplaces, and colleges. East Islip School District has been organizing P.S. I Love You Day for around 10 years, and has done many things in the past to support its message. East Islip has handed out purple ribbons, had P.S. I Love You Day awareness tables, put purple hearts on every locker, created P.S I Love You Day merchandise for East Islip students and had a purple themed photobooth. This year, East Islip clubs like GSA and Leaders Club have worked together, planning to make announcements and inform the staff and faculty to wear purple on Friday the 14th. Students will also see purple hearts around the school this year with positive messages on them to remind each student how special they are.
Ms. Pignataro hopes that there will be a sea of purple this P.S. I Love You Day, as once said by Brooke and Jaimie, the creators of this day.
Ms. Pignataro also realizes how some people are afraid of having a conversation about mental health.
“If we just kind of boil it down to caring for one another, then it’s always the right thing to check on someone else,” she said. “As a counselor, the more we can spread that message, we can do a lot more by building each other up than tearing each other down. That’s the real message of the day.”
P.S. We Love You
