With data collected from 254 middle grade (5-8) students enrolled in a rural, southern school district, this study sought to determine the influence of self-esteem, mattering, and school connectedness on students' overall wellness. Using a two-step hierarchical multiple regression analysis, the author found that school connectedness significantly improved the amount of variance in student wellness accounted for by self-esteem and mattering alone. This article provides implications for future research and suggestions for school counseling practice in light of these results.