Students and community partners unite to raise mental health awareness
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — On Saturday morning, students from the School of The Arts joined their families and health partners in leading discussions about mental health and substance abuse in the Rochester community.
Leaders and the City of Rochester organized the event following the tragic death of a 15-year-old School of The Arts student which happened in March.
Those who took part in Saturday's event said they hope to raise awareness of the struggles many high-school students face daily. The topics discussed in the forum included peer pressure, substance abuse, and healthy coping strategies.
Rochester Mayor Malik Evans shared why this event is important to him.
'Who better knows what young people are going through than other young people?' Evans said. 'In order to really help people, we have to make sure to put resources in front of them. More importantly, we have to create the spaces for people to be able to connect and have conversations with these resources.'
Some of the community partners who took part include The Center for Youth and Breathe Deep. Some students at School of The Arts said now that they know these resources are available, they hope folks in need are able to utilize them.
'I didn't know about these resources until three months ago,' School of The Arts student Marcus Freeman said. 'But now I know there's a lot of resources out there, so you're not alone.'
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Other students shared why they chose to take part in Saturday's discussions, including DaJuan Jackson.
'I believe mental health is really important because it's the root of everything. The brain is where everything starts, and without a good brain or good mental, you can't have everyday interactions, conversations and just be yourself,' Jackson said.
The City of Rochester plans to continue youth outreach efforts surrounding mental health later this year, with plans to host three mental health services events at Recreation Centers across the city. The events are scheduled to take place on August 6-8.
Anyone who is facing an immediate mental health crisis can call or text the 24/7 National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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