Newark Public Schools hosts teen mental health summit to give students tools to cope, raise awareness

Jeremiah Brown, keynote speaker for the event and former safety for the Jacksonville Jaguars, told Newark Public Schools students about the life-threatening brain injury that forced him to retire from the NFL. (Jessie Gómez / Chalkbeat)This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters

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Jinelle Lebron and her peers spent the day March 25 learning about the importance of mental health and the factors that may suggest a student is not okay.

“I think teens can feel lonely,” said Lebron, a sophomore at American History High School, during a group discussion about mental health struggles.

“Or,” she added, “someone might feel like they’re not being heard.”

Lebron was one of 204 Newark Public Schools mental health ambassadors in grades 9 through 11 who took part in a football-themed youth mental health summit that provided participants with a playbook of strategies to tackle mental health challenges for themselves and their peers. The summit also served as training for the students who will plan, develop, and facilitate mental health campaigns at district high schools in May.

The mental health conference, hosted by the district’s Office of Student Life, was held at Montclair State University, where students were greeted by green and white balloons and football centerpieces at their tables to reflect the theme: “Building your mental health playbook.” Students also received swag bags containing stress balls, notebooks, pens, books, and pamphlets that could be used for their campaigns in May.

Students heard from district social workers, therapists, and three NFL football players, including Jahan Dotson, wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles, and Tony Richardson, former running back for the New York Jets, who talked about their mental health journeys and challenges they’ve overcome. Speakers guided students through discussions about mental health struggles, the signs that may suggest friends might not be okay, and where to go when you need support.

Jeremiah Brown, keynote speaker for the event and former safety for the Jacksonville Jaguars, talked about the life-threatening brain injury that forced him to retire from the NFL. He guided students through a brainstorming session about mental health challenges and encouraged them to create solutions.

“I’m here because of the support I received because I thought this world would be way better without me,” Brown told students on Tuesday.

Mental health problems among youth were on the rise before COVID, but spiked during the pandemic. Teens also reported feeling disconnected as the pandemic disrupted student learning and limited access to their friends, school-based social services, and after-school activities such as sports and clubs.

But there are signs that students are slowly recovering. Last August, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new data highlighting improvements in mental health among teens, including decreases in the percentage of students feeling persistently sad or hopeless. The report also highlighted concerns about increases in the percentage of teens reporting experiences of school-based violence and absenteeism due to safety concerns.

Jahi Gordon, a mental health educator at The Jed Foundation and presenter at the mental health summit, encouraged students to prioritize their mental health, even if they feel okay, and asked them to spread awareness in their schools. Gordon said 4 in 10 high school students experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in 2023, and 42% of teens ages 13 to 17 did not ask adults for help.

“We have to remove the negative stigmas around mental health and mental health conversations,” said Gordon.

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