My community outreach project was centered around mental well-being and creating healthy habits to promote self-care. To encourage this, I made multiple workshops around my high school and community where students and youth could get together and create Wellness journals together. I aimed to spark conversation on better self-care practices while promoting and building community with peers. During the Wellness Journal Workshops, I would provide participants with blank journals, stickers, markers, washy tape, and other materials to decorate their personalized journals with. Alongside the workshops, I also worked with my school's HOSA club to create a kindness wall at my school to help uplift students because I believe our words hold value. The kindness wall was placed in front of our school's main entrance so that students could start their day out with encouragement. We used simple materials such as sticky notes, markers, paper, and tape, emphasizing that it doesn’t take much to do something kind. The workshops and kindness walls were not only ways for students to get a relaxing time to unwind /destress or get some service hours, but they also sparked conversation about ways the school could better implement activities like these into the school to promote student wellness. Another small project I did was implementing a mental health section in our school's library/media center. I did this because I thought it was important to have resources that students could access, and knowing that you have that type of support is important to have in a school. In total, around 50 people attended my workshops, with the majority being students from my school. I believe my wellness workshops helped many students, as well as myself, learn the importance of taking a step back and making time for yourself and your mind.

Running this outreach project taught me that creating impact doesn't always look like a big number, it often happens in quiet, meaningful interactions. I assumed that outreach would be straightforward, but I quickly realized the importance of adaptability, persistence, and clear communication when leading others. Partnering with clubs like HOSA and collaborating with my school admin, whether they be a teacher or a counselor, helped bring ideas like the Kindness Wall or my Wellness Journal Workshops to life. Most submissions came through the personalized journals and thoughtfully handwritten notes of encouragement for the kindness Wall. The biggest positive surprise for me was how enthusiastic students were once they felt seen and invited into the conversation, especially those who usually stay quiet in school spaces. During these workshops, I noticed students sharing personal stories, offering each other encouragement, and even giving ideas for future events. Through this, I've built skills in project management, creative outreach, and leading with empathy. I've honed more of my soft skills and learned how to adapt when things didn't go as planned. Additionally, I learned how to stay committed to my vision even when participation wasn't guaranteed. This experience has taught me a lot about myself and helped me become more confident in my abilities. I learned that plans don't always go as expected, and that it's okay to feel stuck sometimes; what matters most is not staying stuck. Keep pushing forward, even when it's hard, because growth often comes through challenges!

Serving on the Youth Advisory Council challenged me to think deeply about what mental wellness truly means and how to create meaningful change from the ground up. One of the biggest lessons I learned was that self-care doesn't have to look the same for everyone. I wanted to emphasize that true self-care involves intentionally giving time back to ourselves and not just mindlessly scrolling or escaping, but actually connecting with our thoughts, emotions, or community. Through journaling workshops, I created phone-free spaces where students could reflect, create, or simply breathe. It was in these quiet moments that I saw how powerful it is to give people permission to slow down. A conversation with one student, who said it had been a long time since she felt she could just exist without pressure, reminded me exactly why this work matters. As a person, I grew in confidence and empathy and learned to be flexible, to problem solve when plans didn't go perfectly, and to recognize that impact isn't always measured in numbers. Even though I didn't meet the original submission goal, I walked away with a stronger sense of purpose and the value of collaboration-- thanks to my fellow council member, I found better ways to streamline the submission process and reach more students. This experience not only strengthened my leadership and communication skills but also helped me develop a deeper understanding of how to advocate for good health and well-being in ways that feel personal, authentic, and accessible. I'll always look back on this experience as a stepping stone in my journey --- not just as a leader but as someone learning how to care for others while also learning to care for themselves.