Sacred Heart Greenwich students embraced the mission of “Reach out. Check in. Make contact.” with the introduction of Should Check, an organization dedicated to honoring the memory of Hayden Thorsen. Shoulder Check encourages teens to proactively engage in open discussion with their peers about mental health and well-being. Junior Grace Villar introduced Shoulder Check to the Upper School as a club this year. Through initiatives like Sacred Heart’s first Shoulder Check ice hockey game, January 29, at Chelsea Piers, the club aims to keep Hayden’s legacy alive.
Grace brought Shoulder Check to Sacred Heart because she had a personal connection to its mission, and she wanted to honor Hayden. When Hayden was a sophomore at Darien High School in 2022, he took his own life. His death serves as a reminder of the unseen struggles that high school students often face. Grace discussed why it is imperative to take an active role in bringing awareness to mental health.
“Because of Hayden, I believe that his legacy should forever carry on,” Grace said. “No matter the circumstances, Hayden was someone who brought joy into my life. It didn’t make sense to me how someone who had brought so much joy into the world could have felt so much pain. That moment opened my eyes to how little we may know about the emotions behind the faces we see everyday.”
The mission of Shoulder Check aligns closely with goal three of the Sacred Heart Goals and Criteria, “social awareness impels to action.” Grace discussed the mission of Shoulder Check and shared the goals her club plans to live out on King Street.
“As a club, we hope to live out our mission by holding each member responsible for acting on Shoulder Check’s motto of reaching out, checking in, and making contact,” Grace said. “We want to make kindness a contact sport. We hope to remind our peers and classmates about our mission and how to live it out. By hosting Shoulder Check games and finding ways to get everyone involved, we can continue fostering a culture of connection and support.”
Sacred Heart hosted its first Shoulder Check-themed ice hockey game, January 29, at Chelsea Piers. The team played against Greenwich Academy. As Hayden was a lifelong hockey player, through games like these, his legacy lives on. During the game, players wore Shoulder Check patches on their jerseys and tape on their sticks, symbolizing their commitment to the organization’s values. Students a part of the club gave out bracelets to fans and players as a reminder of the cause. Grace touched on the meaning behind Shoulder Check games and their ability to transcend rivalries.
“The mission of Shoulder Check is something that yields no bounds, rivalries included,” Grace said. “The main part of the game that makes it a Shoulder Check game is the commitment we make together. Everyone in the rink puts their hand on the person next to them as we promise to live out the Shoulder Check motto. It’s incredible to see people come together like this for a common cause.”
Featured Image by Maggie Heffernan ’25
