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mpower youth
in action
Every year the National Mental Health Association
awards "Medals
of Excellence" to teens and young adults who are raising awareness
by sharing their experiences with mental illness and encouraging their
peers to take action. Here are descriptions of the 2003 winners and
how they are making a difference in their communities and schools.
Matilde “Matty” Amezquita,is a 20-year-old from the Bronx,
N.Y. As a youth advocate for the Mental Health Association of New York
City, Inc., Matty does public speaking and facilitates support groups
for teens and families facing mental health problems. Having personally
experienced the effects of AIDS on families, Matty works at the Bronx
AIDS Services helping other families living with AIDS. In
addition, Matty is a student in the Adolescent Skills Center and
acts as a mentor for less-experienced students.
Kellyn Hill,a 15-year-old member of the Standing
Rock Sioux Tribe, attends Wakpala Public School in Wakpala, S.D. Kellyn is a “Spirit
Rider” for the Wakpala Horse Program, an organization that sponsors
horseback rides to recognize mental health, sobriety and historical occasions. In
particular, he participates in the Bear Butte Ride, an event that strives
to increase awareness about drug and alcohol abuse and mental health
issues. Kellyn acts as a role model by leading a drug-free, healthy
lifestyle and sharing his experiences with mental illness to reduce
stigma in his community.
Jake Novak, an 18-year-old senior at Kirkwood High
School in St. Louis, Missouri, drew upon his personal experience
with mental illness to found
Students Working Against Depression (SWAD) at his high school. Under
Jake’s leadership, SWAD has sponsored many events, including a
depression and suicide prevention assembly and a benefit concert. Recently,
he organized an in-school conference about teen depression and
recruited Wendy Williams, a former Olympic diver who suffered from
depression, as the keynote speaker.
Katie Slenkeris a 17-year-old from York, Pennsylvania,
and a student at Dallastown Area High School. Katie has overcome many obstacles
since being diagnosed with a mental illness at the age of eight. In
conjunction with the Mental Health Association of York County, she started
Kids Coming Together-Coping with Mental Illness, a support group for
kids and parents to understand mental illness. Recently, she was
the youth keynote speaker at the Child and Adolescent Service System
Program (CASSP) conference in State College. She also wrote an
article entitled, “My Life with Bipolar Disorder,” for CASSP’s
March 2003 newsletter.
David Wellsis a 16-year-old student at Sandy Creek
High School in Glenvil, Nebraska. David used his personal experience with mental illness
to co-found Y.E.S. (Youth Encouraging Support), a support group for young
people with mental health problems. His latest project is the Y.E.S. “Cake
Wall,” a visual presentation that encourages people to look beyond
stereotypes and learn the truth about mental illness. David also
belongs to the No Limits Youth Council, a substance abuse prevention
program sponsored by Tobacco-Free Nebraska.
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