Summer Leadership Academy

Three Days of Learning, Creativity, and Connection

School is back in session, but we’re still celebrating the summer!

This summer, the Youth Mental Health Coalition (YMHC) hosted a three-day Summer Leadership Academy, bringing together our Beat The Odds youth and youth from several different youth-serving organizations. Having young people from different programs and backgrounds come together made this experience truly special. It gave youth the opportunity to meet new people, share ideas, learn from one another, and build connections while having fun.

Each day offered something different, from content creation and mental health conversations to learning how to become an upstander, exploring creativity through art, and preparing for future professional opportunities.

Day One: Content Creation & Peer-to-Peer Learning

We kicked off the academy with a Content Creation Day, where youth used their creativity to raise awareness about important issues affecting young people.

One group created social media posts and reels using information from the Springfield Youth Health Survey, focusing on mental health, problem gambling, substance use, and addiction. The group was led by Rebecca Hunt, Research and Evaluator at the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts, who helped youth understand the survey data and turn important information into engaging content for their peers.

Another group worked on developing a peer-to-peer training focused on sensitivity and vulnerability. The training explored how youth can feel more comfortable speaking about mental health and the impact stigma can have on those conversations. This group was led by Alexander Camire from the Behavioral Health Network.

Day Two: Becoming an Upstander

Day two focused on bullying, empathy, and the important role young people can play in supporting others.

Cory Mashburn led an engaging presentation called “Bystander or Upstander: Where Do You Stand?” Youth explored different forms of bullying and discussed the difference between watching harmful behavior happen and taking safe, positive action.Through real-life scenarios and discussion, youth learned about empathy, accountability, and how peers can help create a culture of respect in their schools and communities.

We ended the day with a creative guided painting activity led by Chauniecrafts.

Youth painted a person with a backpack and wrote encouraging messages on notes without knowing how they would be used. The messages were mixed up and handed back to participants to place inside their painted backpacks.The activity was filled with laughter, creativity, and connection. Youth explored color palettes, experimented with creating new colors, practiced different painting techniques, and got to see the unique creativity each person brought to their artwork.

Day Three: Professional Development & Preparing for the Future

Our final day focused on professional development and career readiness.

Youth had the opportunity to learn from Dress for Success and Way Finders about appropriate clothing for interviews, interview skills, and how to present themselves in a professional setting. These conversations gave youth practical tools and confidence to take with them into future job interviews and professional environments.

Throughout the day, youth also had the opportunity to have professional headshots taken by Chucky Crespo. One of the highlights was allowing each youth to choose the headshot they liked the most. The youth absolutely loved having the opportunity to select their favorite photo!

Looking Back on a Great Summer

Our Summer Leadership Academy was more than three days of activities. It was a chance for young people from different programs and organizations to come together, learn from one another, build new skills, express themselves, and make new connections.

We are incredibly grateful to all of our presenters, facilitators, community partners, organizations, and staff who shared their time, knowledge, creativity, and support with our youth. Every presenter brought something unique, and their ability to engage with our young people helped make the academy such a meaningful experience.

We also want to give a special thank you to the organizations that provided professional clothing for our youth, helping them feel prepared and confident as they look toward future opportunities.

Most importantly, we want to give a special THANK YOU to all of the presenters and to the incredible youth who participated from our partner organizations: Enlace de Familias, PhotoVoice, Follow My Steps, and, of course, our Beat The Odds leaders! Your energy, creativity, participation, and willingness to learn helped make this Summer Leadership Academy an amazing experience.