Among the many clubs hosted at Cinnaminson High School, one specifically focuses on students’ mental health while allowing them to explore their inner creativity. The Watercolor for Wellness club, started by chemistry teacher Ms. Lea Palacios in 2022, seeks to bring students peace of mind while allowing them to express their inner artists.

Palacios credits her students with the idea and development of the club. She introduced watercolor as one of her chemistry labs after enjoying it as a hobby in her personal life since the COVID-19 lockdowns. According to Palacios, students were very involved with the lab and pushed it even further, inspiring her to start a club.

“It was actually totally inspired by the students, students thought that it’d be nice to do watercolor, and they encouraged me to form a group,” Palacios said. “I do tend to include some kind of art aspect into chemistry when I can…”

CHS alumna Stella Driscoll recalls the moment that started the idea with it taking place during her lab.

“In my sophomore year, I took Ms. Palacios’ chem class. So one day she brought in these special watercolors for our lab – they change colors when mixed with solutions of different pH levels,” Driscoll said. “My lab group finished the assignment early, so we decided to just start painting, and eventually Ms. Palacios joined us. We told her how relaxing it was, and then one of us suggested that she should start a watercolor painting club!”

Driscoll said she attended as many meetings as possible. According to her, the club became an important part of her high school experience and a good opportunity to take a mental break and spend time with friends.

“I tried to attend as many meetings as I possibly could. It was important to me just to show up because I knew that sometimes I just needed that mental break and wanted to spend time with my friends,” Driscoll said. “Being with my friends at Watercolor for Wellness was always a highlight of my day.”

In her personal life, Palacios has enjoyed doing watercolor since the COVID-19 lockdowns. Because of this, she views the club as an extension of herself, giving students the same freedom she would want.

“It is really an extension of me this club, I will paint something seasonal that I’m inspired by, and might do that in the club, some students do take inspiration from me, or they look up other

artists, things that they wanted to paint or learn, so I kind of let the students paint what they want, cause that’s what I like to do,” Palacios said. 

Palacios also uses her experience helping friends and family with watercolor to help students who come in with little experience and are looking for help.

“I do like to think about how I’ve taught my fiance how to paint when students come in with no background, I try to be like, ‘this worked for him, let me try to show it this way,’ so there’s a little bit of teaching involved,” Palacios said.

Embodying the club’s “wellness” aspect, Palacios seeks to give students a moment of relaxation during their day, encouraging them to slow down and discover the therapeutic aspects of watercolor painting. 

“[The goal is] for students to slow down, take a moment for themselves, so it`’s really leading its title, focus on wellness, and art therapy is one way to do it,” Palacios said. “It’s fun! Even watching other people paint is relaxing.”

Seniors Gale Reid and Ally Huminsky have been attending since the club’s very first meeting, and have embraced the relaxing nature of the club, viewing it as a no-pressure environment.

“There’s no pressure associated with it cause if you were to go to art class there’s a grade associated with it, but with the watercolor club you can kinda just do whatever, there’s no pressure and you don’t even really have to know how to paint or anything,” Reid said. “There’s the templates too if you don’t feel like doing freeform stuff.” 

After the club’s formation, it was largely built up by the members’ friendships, with the students and Palacios herself crediting them for what brought so many people in, and what kept them all returning so consistently.

“We always tell our friends to come when it’s going on, if there’s like other people that like haven’t gone before, we’re like, “Come on, it’s fun” and we have our big group, there’s always like three large groups in there,” Huminsky said.

Huminsky also cites the material as an aspect that keeps them all returning. Some people don’t have access to watercolor at home, granting them a unique opportunity.

“Also helping further your creativity in other ways, cause I don’t have that fancy watercolor stuff at home, that’s the only time I get to do it,” Huminsky said.

Palacios emphasizes focusing on oneself, but moving forward, she wants to bring the “wellness” aspect to other people. She has ideas for sending their creations to nursing homes or creating a pen pal-style idea. The idea takes inspiration from Glamour Gals, and their trips to Riverview Estates to give manicures to and visit the elderly, providing them with emotional support.

“Some outreach, we can send these watercolor paintings to nursing homes, and make some connections within the community,” Palacios said when asked about where she’d like to take the club.

When asked about the idea of giving the club a social media presence, similar to other clubs at CHS, Palacios appeared to enjoy the idea, added to it, and considered it a goal for 2025.

“I think that’s gonna be our new goal for 2025, we’ll do a Cinnaminson Watercolor Club Account, student-run, whatever we make that week, or maybe do themes for months and get people to come and join for that month,” Palacios said.

Overall, the club provides a safe space for students to express themselves freely and unwind. 

“If you have an idea for a club, you should go find a teacher that you like, and ask them if they’ll start one, cause anything can happen, like Watercolor for Wellness, if you have your own club idea.”