School counselors are a crucial resource for students, but their services are not accessible for all youth. We are not giving students the language they need to talk about their own mental health, which is keeping them from getting support until they are in crisis. By integrating conversation around mental health into core school curriculum schools will give their students the tools they need for self-advocacy and a healthier lifestyle. "Maya Dawson is a junior at Conifer High School. She fell in love with storytelling from stories around the dinner table growing up, and now shares her own stories and those of her peers through her school’s student paper. She has worked as a Global Youth Reporter with the Team Harmony Foundation and has been published in several papers. Her work focuses on social justice and the challenges faced by today’s youth. She hopes to pursue political science or journalism in college- whatever will best let her share the stories of those who are not being heard. When not writing, she runs, plays basketball, and cares for her pet Axolotl (Look up photos... they are fantastic creatures).
" This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx