MILLIS, Mass. — What started out a civic action project for three Millis eighth-graders has turned out to be more impactful than they could’ve ever imagined.
“I’ve never had this type of project that has actually made me want to make a change,” said Isabella Schaad. “And I feel like I am making a change today, which is really cool to me.”
Having seen the effects of mental health struggles in family members and peers, Isabella, along with classmates Sophia White and Alivia Gordon, began raising money for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).
The teens launched a GoFundMe account and, within days, raised nearly $1,500.
Boston 25 News partners with NAMI for the Mass Walk for Mental Health, raising funds for programs and services that can be life-saving.
“I think it’s such a great thing to see people care about this topic,” Sophia said of the community’s support for their fundraiser. “It’s really important to try and be able to communicate what’s going on and how you’re feeling to others to be able to receive the best help you need.”
The Millis Middle School students felt compelled to start their project after noticing a critical decline in mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sophia, whose aunt works in law enforcement and is on the board for NAMI, said she was inspired to help when she learned about the long wait times and the expenses for critical mental health services.
The girls are aiming to raise awareness, spread hope and help end the stigma mental illness has long held.
“I do think mental health has suffered more since the pandemic. Kids have been isolated and not interacting with as many people. So, it causes them to shut down,” Isabella said. “We’ve had a lot of personal experience with teen mental health, and we know people who have suffered from certain things like this… We want kids to feel safe, and we want kids to feel like they have a space to talk.”
“We’re trying to spread more awareness about what’s going on,” Sophia added. “Not everyone is okay. And it’s okay to not be okay.”
The girls will present their project to their class as they continue to raise funds and later send a check to NAMI.
Meanwhile, Isabella’s father, Brian Schaad, is helping the girls reach out to members of government – from their state representative to the president – to gain support for their project.
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