Ten Barton County high school students took the opportunity to make their voices heard at the State Capitol during the recent Youth Mental Health Advocacy Day.
As participants in the #ZeroReasonsWhy campaign, the students shared information with state lawmakers and other officials, said Holly Bowyer, local #ZRW organizer at The Center for Counseling & Consultation, 5815 Broadway.
#ZRW is a teen-led campaign to reduce teen suicide and emphasize that mental health is as important as physical health.
“This was a wonderful opportunity for the voices of youth to be heard by legislators and other state leaders,” Bowyer said. “They exchanged ideas about promoting mental health and suicide prevention, while also discussing their various #ZeroReasonsWhy activities.”
The students gave us positive feedback about the March 26 advocacy day, Bowyer commented. “They loved being part of an event that promotes mental health and provides information about local and state resources.
“One goal of #ZRW is to normalize conversations about mental health, while reducing the stigma associated with it,” Bowyer continued. “We encourage young people to reach out and ask for help. It is okay to talk about it.”
The most important aspect of the #ZRW campaign is that “teens are at the heart of it,” Bowyer emphasized. “This is why it works.”
However, it doesn’t stop with teenagers. Information is shared with parents, school administrators, teachers, businesses and non-profit agencies.
Bowyer noted that the nine students from Hoisington High School and one from Ellinwood High School had their photo taken with Gov. Laura Kelly. In addition, Rep. Tory Blew’s intern was “very receptive and enjoyed learning about #ZeroReasonsWhy.”
The Barton County group also interacted throughout the day with youth from Johnson County and Wichita.
Students’ comments
Jessica Lovett, Hoisington senior, said advocacy day was “important to me because of the connections we made with other teenagers. We spent the day talking about why it is so important to talk about mental health and how it can make a difference in someone’s life.
“As someone who used to struggle heavily with mental health, it is super important to me that we are fighting to make a difference in our society. The entire day was just a total adventure. To be surrounded by so many people that care about mental health was a blessing, to say the least.”
Lovett also noted that she appreciated the opportunity to explain the purpose of #ZRW to others at the State Capitol.
Catherine Lewis, Hoisington senior, said the special event was “a wonderful experience. We were proud to represent #ZeroReasonsWhy and talk to others about making a difference. We are so grateful for the opportunity to learn even more about #ZeroReasonsWhy and Youth Leaders in Kansas (YLinK).”
