Above: The party capping off Mental Health Awareness Month will include honoring an elementary school teacher for her contributions to our community. (image edited from flyer)
In two weeks, the community is invited to “Celebrate Wellness”.
The reception in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month (MHAM) will include the presentation of the annual Laurie Sugarman Whittier Wellness Award. This year’s recipient is Finn School teacher Julianne Topliffe.
The free reception will be held Wednesday, May 28th, 6:30 – 7:30 pm at the Community House, 28 Main Street.
The celebration is about more than just the award. SYFS promotes the event wrapping up MHAM activities as:
a community gathering focused on connection, reflection, and emotional well-being. This special event offers a chance to come together, celebrate our progress, and strengthen the bonds that support mental health.
As for the honoree, a flyer encourages the community to send in “a memory or positive experience” with Topliffe that may be shared at the event. (Please, email them to ebrideau@southboroughma.com with the subject line “LSWWA 2025”)
But SYFS already had plenty to say about why the first-grade teacher is deserving of the honor she was nominated for:
Julianne has been an inspiring leader in bringing mindfulness and social-emotional learning to Southborough schools. Her work has nurtured a culture of calm, care, and connection from daily classroom practices to school-wide initiatives and even weekly staff yoga. She has enriched both the Finn School community and the greater Southborough school district through her dedication to wellness.
This award honors the legacy of Laurie Sugarman-Whittier, longtime SYFS Director and a tireless champion of mental health and wellness in our community. Julianne’s compassion, resilience, and advocacy for well-being make her a truly deserving recipient of this year’s award.
The annual award is decided by the Southborough Youth Commission (which advises and supports SYFS). Nominees were publicly solicited earlier this year. You can read more about that and past honorees here.
For a reminder of the other MHAM events between now and the celebration, click here.
