It started with an email introducing us to the Assistant Principal at Santiago High School in Corona. His school was working on a weeklong event entitled: “What if you support a better you?” Before we knew it, Project 99 was partnered with all of the amazing high school student leadership programs from the Corona-Norco school district as part of their focus on mental health during their “What If?” week long event to promote mental health and well-being among their students.
Leadership students came up with topics related to mental health awareness for each of the days during the week of the event. Every day they put out messages on social media to encourage students to participate. Monday’s message was on mental wellness. Tuesday was all about motivation, while Wednesday focused on connectedness. Thursday explored mindfulness, and Friday closed out the week with self-love strategies. They also raffled off bags with wellness items, such as stress balls, for students who participated, daily. Students were provided with mental health information and resources to ensure they knew where they could find help in and around the community if they or someone they knew was struggling and needed support (share fliers).
Below are the various messages that appeared on our daily Instagram and Facebook posts, which our Project 99 Team created to support their efforts and keep students inspired throughout the week:
Another feature of the week’s campaign included picking a nonprofit to support for the week-Project 99 was fortunate to be selected as the featured nonprofit, and we were supported through a special event at Chick fil A, which was not only a great fundraiser for our organization, but a wonderful opportunity to help raise awareness for their district’s students about mental health and suicide prevention.
We were so delighted to be a part of this amazing event and so impressed by the incredible efforts of the student leadership in Corona-Norco USD, not to mention the teachers and administrators who are supporting them, in making a difference in their schools and community. They truly inspire us and fuel us to keep up our efforts to bring suicide and mental health out of the darkness!
