SPRINGFIELD, MA — Join us for a FREE celebration of youth mental wellness on Friday, June 21st, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. This youth-led event, hosted by Beat the Odds (BTO) youth advisory group to the Springfield Youth Mental Health Coalition (YMHC), is designed to raise awareness about mental health, problem gambling and self-care strategies; celebrate the healthy ways our young people manage their mental well-being; and connect youth and the community to valuable mental health resources.
Several organizations will be tabling, including Gandara’s Impact Center and the Stop Access Coalition. Youth from Queen’s Narrative and Gandara’s photoVOICE project will share artwork and Beat the Odds youth will showcase creative data visualizations of the Springfield Public School District 2023 Youth Health Survey.
“Art is a great outlet to express youth mental wellness and to understand public health issues that may be otherwise hard to digest,” said Tiffany Rufino, Youth Mental Health Coalition Manager at the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts. “We hope this event encourages our young people to make healthy choices by providing resources and information in a fun, interactive way.”
Schedule
- 5:00 PM - Registration
- 5:30 PM - Data Walk: Explore data visualizations of the 2023 Springfield Youth Health Survey created by BTO youth
- 6:15 PM - Dinner
- 6:30 PM - Presentations & Performance (Will include representatives from the Mayor's Office & MA DPH Office of Problem Gambling Services, original song performed by BTO member, and awards).
- 7:30 PM - Celebration Activities (unstructured time for games, music, and fun)
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8:00 PM - Closing Remarks
We hope to see you there! Register now!
