“Amity Secret” Shows Students They Aren’t Alone

In October of 2007, Amityville Memorial High School teacher and Awareness Weekend facilitator Jason McGowan introduced the concept of “Amity Secret” to students and staff. Modeled after PostSecret, an ongoing community art project in which people from around the world submit their secrets to an online blog anonymously on a 4x6 index card, the Amityville project has taken on a life of its own. “I wanted to create a nonjudgmental place where every secret is treated respectfully,” stated McGowan. “In a safe environment, students feel it is easier to confess an embarrassing story, and I am hoping that this project will help students feel relieved that they have gotten a secret off their chest.”

After decorating a secret deposit box, which was placed in the lobby of the high school, students could pick up index cards on which to write their secrets from Mr. McGowan’s office, the main office or the school psychologists office. It wasn’t long before students and even staff members, began dropping in their secrets. “The more cards I put in, I felt like I was telling a story,” stated senior Billy Levenberg. “Leaving my secrets in the box helped me deal with stress and release some angry feelings I was having.”

After two months of collecting secrets, McGowan and Principal Dr. Scott Andrews carefully screened the secrets and selected approximately one hundred to be gathered into a book, the cover of which was designed by teacher Nidia Tournambene, to be shared amongst students and staff. “There’s no judging,” stated Amity Secret participant Kristen Emmerich after the book was distributed to students and staff. “People see the book and don’t know who wrote the secret. You can read what other people wrote and feel better, like you are not alone.”

The Amity Secret project will continue into the spring when a second book of secrets will be released. Stated McGowan, “I hope that everyone who contributes to this ongoing project learns a little about their peers, and more importantly, a little more about themselves.”

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