BEND, Ore. — Students at Cascades Academy raised thousands of dollars for teen mental health initiatives, awarding grants to two Central Oregon nonprofits after researching community needs and leading a student-driven fundraising effort.
“Here’s some kids that are thinking about their greater community and that’s just beautiful,” said Nico Carpinelli, Executive Director of Hearts Unknown Education. “Anybody that takes themselves out of themselves and thinks of others, it doesn’t get better than that.”
An Oregon Community Foundation grant provided $7,500 for students to choose where this money would go. These students chose to focus on teen mental health.
“I think focusing on the fact that these emotions are real, no matter if they’re heightened by the age or not,” said sophomore student Nico Vaugh-Godridge. “I think it’s really important to hear kids and give them a space where they can feel safe.”
Students chose to distributed the funds to Hearts Unknown Education and NAMI Central Oregon.
“Honestly tearing up because it just puts wind in my sails,” said Regional Director of NAMI Central Oregon Casey Munck. “Why this work matters, when kids are out here putting their own energy into it.”
“Seeing the culmination of all their hard work and their ability to get up and talk in front of their peers, but also the community and the teachers is really powerful,” said teacher Amy Sidran. “It’s a very real moment for them to give money to community organizations that they researched, interviewed and then felt comfortable giving it to them and actually really passionate about, too.”
Now it is up to these organization to put the money where they feel it best serves the community when it comes to teen mental health.
“That was a really cool life experience for me,” said sophomore Ben Hopper. “I think of a lot of my friends as well. You don’t really get to do stuff like that a lot, and holding a giant check is kind of surreal. In some ways. So yeah, I think was definitely worth it doing all that.”
The students also raised $1,630 through a rummage sale.
This is an annual project for Cascades Academy.