Middle School Mental Health Challenge

South Central - Region 5

Hansen Junior High School

Hansen's PSA on resilience was crafted through a creative and engaging process. Each student, in groups of two or three, was tasked with developing a script and storyline for a video emphasizing the importance of perseverance and resilience, particularly in the face of academic challenges such as failing a test. Each group presented their ideas to the class, leading to a democratic vote to determine the winning entry. The acting parts were determined on a volunteer basis, and those who were not actors helped behind the scenes or with the camera. The participation and enthusiasm from every student in the class were remarkable, resulting in a collaborative and impactful project that fostered strong bonds among the students. This PSA stands as a testament to the school community's dedication to nurturing resilience and unity through innovative educational endeavors.

Declo Junior High School

The Declo Junior High School Student Council, along with some friends, collaborated to create a video addressing a significant issue they identified in their school: the "just kidding" form of bullying. After discussing the problem, they developed the storyline, wrote the script, and recorded the video, with one student using a drone to film the opening shot. To celebrate their efforts, they held a pizza party and utilized the remaining funds to purchase lighting equipment, microphones, and a green screen.

Burley Junior High School

At Burley Junior High, the Sources of Strength Team chose different leaders to create a Public Service Announcement for the community. This team was led by Ella Reynolds, Treldon Easton, Kaiden Green, Quentin Alvarado, and Evanii Caldera. The leaders felt that Bullying stood out in their minds as an issue that plagues many schools. They identified that reaching out to a trusted adult is something that they could do to help this situation. They wanted to show other students at schools that even though you are going through a hard time, you can find a trusted adult, be resilient, and move forward.

Heritage Academy

Heritage Academy's Student Council, led by Ms. Nohely Gonzales, participated in the video interviews, created the background for the interviews, and organized the "glow dance" that followed the shoot. The students featured in the video were Kennleigh Arters, Joseph Coca, Mason Heil, Cammie Coelho, and Nohely Gonzales, with Amy Myhre providing the interviewer's voice off-camera. The videography was handled by Mason Heil, Joseph Coca, and the writer, who also edited the footage using Adobe Premiere Pro. Ms. Gonzales chose the HOPE topic from the provided list, emphasizing the importance of Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences, particularly for students, as these experiences build the confidence and character necessary to counteract the negative feedback prevalent in society today.

Sun Valley Community School

The middle school Student Senate at Sun Valley Community School focused on addressing the negative aspects of social media. They meticulously generated a comprehensive page of notes outlining the cons and decided to communicate two primary messages: "You're not alone," to assure kids they weren't the only ones getting absorbed by their phones, and "Stop the scroll," encouraging them to reduce their screen time despite the difficulty. To effectively convey these messages, they chose CapCut for creating videos suitable for platforms like Instagram and TikTok, designing each video to incorporate a variety of images and fonts for enhanced creativity, including visuals like skateboarding and waterfalls.

Jerome Middle School

The Jerome Middle School Hope Squad, comprising ten dedicated students—Ruth, Annabell, Destiney, Lesly, Adrian, Angel, Ana, Hadlie, Tenley, and Trennon—participated in the challenge with a focus on promoting self-worth. Recognizing the profound impact of valuing one's own worth on fostering a sense of importance in others, they selected this topic to emphasize its universal relevance. To ensure inclusivity within their diverse school community, they conducted the challenge in both English and Spanish. Their unified message underscored that everyone, regardless of their unique traits, is important and matters.

Ernest Hemingway STEAM School

The EHSS PSA student team was chosen not because of their involvement in a group or student government, but through nominations from their teachers, who recognized them as students valuing wellness and mutual support. Mentors selected the topic based on common daily needs, ultimately deciding on self-esteem to help students understand the profound impact of their self-perceptions. Initially, the team struggled to find a message that was both tangible and meaningful, but they succeeded in creating one that resonates with today's teens and encourages reflection. They aim to help their peers see beyond the misleading images and posts on social media, promoting the understanding that it's okay to not be okay.

Kimberly Middle School

The Kimberly Middle School , comprising 13 peer leaders and one adult advisor from the school's Sources of Strength team, began their project by reviewing provided topics. The students identified self-image and social media habits as the primary struggles among their peers and decided to incorporate self-image into their social media campaign. Initially, they planned to create a meme but soon realized a video would better convey their message. Aiming to connect with peers through humor, one student shared a funny Chick-fil-A meme, which inspired their project. Generously, the store owner, Bill Ystueta, opened the Chick-fil-A store for filming on a Sunday evening. They titled their PSA "Make Good Choices," which will be shared with the entire school on May 17th during Advisory class. Additionally, peer leaders will distribute silicone bracelets they designed, bearing the message "Make Good Choices," to all staff and students on that day.

Southwest - Region 3

Homedale Middle School

The PSA created by Homedale Middle School students emphasizes the critical message of not keeping unsafe secrets. It encourages youth to be good friends by telling a trusted adult if someone could get hurt or feels unsafe. They cover the importance of speaking up when noticing potential harm, understanding that unsafe secrets can cause long-lasting consequences, and reinforcing the idea that safety should always come first. The students advocate for the principle: "See something, say something."

Emmett Middle School

Students at Emmett Middle School created a billboard campaign about resilience, its importance, and the role of a supportive adult. They helped define resilience for their school community as the ability to adapt to stressors and maintain well-being while facing adversity. The students put up interactive posters around their school to engage with their peers and share important resources for those in need. They encouraged those struggling with thoughts of suicide, mental or emotional problems, drug or alcohol issues, or family or relationship problems, to use the suicide hotline 988, where someone is always ready to provide support.

Marsing Middle School

Marsing Middle School students initiated a poster campaign to emphasize the significance of self-esteem and self-worth. The district office selected a winning poster, which was printed on flyers and distributed into every middle school locker. Additionally, all six posters were laminated and displayed throughout the school to promote these vital messages. These posters remained on display until the end of their 2024 school year.

Notus Junior High School

Exercise offers numerous benefits, assert the students of Notus Junior High School, who created a video showcasing its positive impact on physical and mental health. Their video highlights how exercise can boost spirits, maintain both body and mind health, increase self-esteem, reduce the risk of illness and chronic conditions, alleviate stress, and promote a positive outlook. Additionally, exercise releases "happy chemicals" in the brain, enhancing mood, cognitive function, and academic performance.

Vallivue Middle School

Students at Vallivue Middle School created a social media campaign to educate their peers on the importance of maintaining healthy social media habits. The campaign emphasizes the "SSS" approach: Safe, Smart, and Sensible. Being safe involves making good decisions, avoiding pressure from others, steering clear of unknown individuals, and consulting a trusted adult if something feels uncomfortable. Being smart means refraining from posting comments that wouldn't be said in person. Sensible use requires awareness and a solid understanding of safety measures. Given the challenges of staying safe on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, the students urge their peers to remember the three S's for healthier social media habits.