The Problem
The lack of mental health resources and legacy preservation initiatives in my community is troubling. The covid-19 pandemic, and its impact on the mental health of students in my town is extremely troubling-people are unable to connect with each other and share their stories because there are a lack of resources. This injustice, and lack of resources, mainly affects Generation Z, or highschool and middle school students. This pandemic, and its impact is something that will be studied continuously throughout the 21st century, and has had historic effects on the mental health of teenagers all over the world, largely due to the social isolation, social media, and lack of human interaction. Teenagers need to be provided accessible reflection and mental health resources, in order to come together and collectively share their experiences. I believe it is important to provide a resource or event, where people in my town, speech xiclaly teenagers, can reflect on the past year and the pandemic together, share their experiences and preserve their memories via a time capsule. This event would be a way for my town to look back, share, and move on.
Our Plan
-Support Student’s mental health and help them grow through their pandemic experiences. Help them via on site counselors and mental health experts. -Implement community bonding and connection activities between participants. -Connect students to support group -Preserve our legacies and stories during this time period via a time capsule [Display time Capsule] -Partner with Student Senate at University High School -Plan a successful Day Long Event including Mental Health Sessions, Bonding Sessions, [Social Distanced, Masks On, Outside] -Help the Town heal through this event -Reach out to the local library and share with them the plans and the grant, along with the event idea. Ask to partner with them in order to increase awareness and implement a place to display the time capsule. -Once the partnerships are established, schedule a set day in the Summer. This day should be around in early July or late June -Purchase the time capsules necessary materials, and anything else that the library partnership requires. Complete research on the best capsules. -Purchase paper, pens, pencils, and other reflection materials -Create event schedule and guidelines for the day with the Local Library. [guidelines for what can and cannot be included in the Time Capsule] Set an opening date -Find a designated area in the library, and set up a desiganged display case in the library to display the capsule. Coordinate with the library and partners on which option is better: burying the cause of displaying it in a locked case. -Reach out to local guidance countries and mental health experts to attend the event, and help speak to the student. Ask them to provide some of their services to the students -Start Advertising the event on social media, with other students, schools, guidance counselors and more.
