March 12, 2026 Contributed by Ally Donnelly
Their kids went to school and came home…happier. Parents of Hingham High School students enrolled in the SWELL program wanted to know why, or better yet, how?
Enter Vanessa Webb, Hingham mom and wellness coach, deeply invested in our community’s mental health. She pitched an idea to HHS leaders two years ago: Bring the most enrolled course in Yale University’s 300 year history to Hingham: The Science of Well-Being, an 8-week course facilitated by Webb, but really led by the teens.
It’s a combination of Yale’s online course work that the students do independently and weekly in-person connections with the other teens and Webb. The topics are ones many teenagers experience daily, but don’t talk about openly–comparison, self-criticism, negative thought spirals, academic pressure, and stress. Webb says it takes a few weeks for the students to open up, but when they do, something wonderful happens.
“One of the biggest things we hear from kids is, ‘I realize I am not the only one struggling with this,’” Webb says and the course gives them the tools to see how to create a better way for themselves. “Well-being, and mental health, and happiness, it’s not this huge insurmountable thing. What the science shows is that it’s really about making these small shifts and building these tiny, but important habits.”
Tonight, Webb will lead a free, parent session as part of Hingham Public Schools’ ongoing Caregiver Conversation series. She’ll share the science and research behind the Yale course and help parents implement some of the learnings to support their kids or for themselves.
“Sometimes you go to these parent talks and you leave feeling more stressed,” she says, “because there are all these rules and ‘don’t do this.’ It can be overwhelming.” Instead, Thursday’s event is for reassurance and connection.“A lot of it is about normalizing that we’re all in it together,” Webb says. “And some of it is just a perspective shift in how you think about what your kid is going through—and how you respond to it.”
She plans to share 8-10 concrete strategies drawn from the Yale research and insights from the students themselves. “Some of this is not new,” she says. “Some of it is stuff your grandma told you. It’s about being reminded, and seeing just how impactful these small, simple things can really be.”
In the teen program, Webb says the student drives the agenda. “They come prepared with a ‘jot,’ just one thing, from the week’s module that struck them as interesting, surprising, or worth talking about.” Those moments become the fuel for the conversation. Because SWELL meets outside of school, without grades or a teacher’s authority, students might feel safer taking risks. The two consistent takeaways Webb hears most from the teens: “It’s actually much more manageable than I thought,” and “I have a lot more control over this than I realized.”
Webb says some of the course “graduates” have gone on to join task forces on mental health at their college or university. Others have written about their internal discoveries in college essays. The students have given Webb lots of feedback. “SWELL gave me lots of insights into my own behavior, what is driving it and how to change habits I don’t like,” one said. Another told her, “As high schoolers, we are facing anxiety 24/7. This course helps show…effective ways to focus on the joys rather than this stress.” One graduating student said, “As a senior, a lot of my classes feel pointless, but this one doesn’t. I have learned so many skills that I’ll take with me for the rest of my life.”
To date, roughly 80 Hingham students have moved through SWELL since it launched and a new session kicks off March 18th.
Asked if she uses the course learnings in her own life, she says of course. “Happiness and well-being isn’t about being happy all the time,” she says. “It’s about having some tools and skills to navigate the inevitable challenges that life is going to serve up. Even if you just make a few adjustments, or add a few simple habits–you can feel steadier, more confident, and grounded.”
The parent conversation will be hosted tonight at 7pm at the high school. There are also still openings for the March HHS student session. Sign up here: SWELL Spring Session