A Crisis in the Shadows
As graduation caps soar, a sobering reality grounds us: during the 2020–2021 academic year, over 60% of college students met the criteria for at least one mental health problem, according to the Healthy Minds Study, which collects data from 373 campuses nationwide (Lipson et al., 2022). This statistic underscores the urgent need to address mental health as students transition into adulthood.
The Power of Storytelling
At Connally High School in Waco, Texas, students confronted these challenges head-on through the Captains Circle Peer Leadership Program. Their experiences culminated in Today We Win: How Real Students Found the Answers to Life’s Tests (Volume 2), an anthology of personal narratives that delve into struggles with bullying, family dynamics, academic pressures, and self-doubt. This project not only provided a therapeutic outlet but also fostered a sense of community and resilience among the participants.
Celebrating Resilience
Special recognition goes to five remarkable students—Isaac, My’Toria, Caleigh, Bryson, and Alaina—who graduated last week. Their contributions to the book exemplify the courage and introspection needed to confront mental health challenges head-on. Their stories serve as beacons of hope for peers facing similar struggles.
Two Strategies for Supporting Student Mental Health
- Encourage Open Dialogue: Create safe spaces where students feel comfortable discussing their mental health without fear of judgment.
- Promote Access to Resources: Ensure that students are aware of and have access to mental health services, including counseling and support groups.
An Invitation to Empower
As we celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month and the achievements of the Class of 2025, we invite schools and communities to partner with Committed 2 Win. Together, we can create safe spaces, establish support groups, and promote sustained student success for the 2025–26 school year.
References
Lipson, S. K., Lattie, E. G., & Eisenberg, D. (2022). Trends in college student mental health and help-seeking by race/ethnicity: Findings from the national Healthy Minds Study, 2013–2021. Journal of Affective Disorders, 306, 138–147.
Darryl W. Thomas, Jr. is a U.S. Marine, leadership development expert, award-winning speaker, five-time bestselling author, and at-risk interventionist with over two decades of experience. He is the CEO of Committed 2 Win, a personal and leadership development community focused on inspiring, challenging, and empowering young people and adults to overcome adversity and take ownership in becoming the best version of themselves.Beyond his professional achievements, Darryl is a devoted family man, married to his high school sweetheart for 24 years and father to five children: a U.S. Marine, a TCU graduate, a University High School graduate, and two University High scholar-athletes.Let’s continue this conversation and ensure that every student knows they are not alone on their journey.Follow Darryl at LinkedIn, X and YouTube.
As summer kicks off, kids will be running around in the bleak Texas sun for hours on end. However, when the kiddos get home, they are still seeking entertainment from family and friends. The most vital activity children should engage in this season is reading! Literacy rates in our highly educated country continue to drop as teachers struggle to get students actively and emotionally connected to reading literature. Aiding in a child’s advancing literacy is setting up their future for success. The best way guardians can help kids they interact with is by supplying them with books and reading with them.
This summer, the Waco-McLennan County Library is inviting readers of all ages to participate in the Mayor’s Summer Reading Challenge, running from June 1 through July 31. The free program encourages daily reading throughout the summer, and the more days participants read, the more chances they have to win prizes. Luckily, Waco has a system of fantastic public libraries to visit. These spaces are not only meant for checking out books to read, but they have daily activities for various age ranges, encouraging community play. To sign up for a library card and register today, visit their website!
Waco also has a wonderful commitment to free, accessible literature, with Little Free Libraries placed throughout neighborhoods in the city. To find a Little Free Library near you, visit the official map. As the system works, bring a book that no longer serves you, place it in the Little Free Library, and select a novel that is calling your name! At times, it is hard to give up your precious books, so do not fret. Take a novel, and bring one back when you can. In the meantime, share it with as many people as possible, for the gift of storytelling keeps on giving.
Elizabeth Riley hails from Tennessee and is a graduate of English Literature and Professional Writing & Rhetoric from Baylor University. With passions in archival preservation, communal connection, and women in sports, she writes because it matters, with hopes of bridging villages and fostering revelry amongst them.
By Kiera Collins
Y.E.S. (Youth Empowerment Services) is a Medicaid waiver program. The purpose of Y.E.S. is to keep at-risk youth who are in danger of out of home placement or inpatient psychiatric treatment in the home with the family unit. I am a behavior specialist at Klaras Center for Families. As a behavior specialist, I tutor and mentor my assigned clients, many of whom participate in the Y.E.S. program.
The Y.E.S. program is 12 months long. In those 12 months we work on school issues, learning deficits, vital skills, goal setting, seeking natural supports, communication skills, coping mechanisms, safety plans, and many specially designed undertakings that will benefit the family unit as a whole. Our goal is to empower the family and give them a better foundation to build upon.
These goals are accomplished by providing community based services for the child and parent. Some of those services include art therapy, equine therapy, recreational therapy, adaptive aides, community living specialists, and family support specialists.
I have been able to make community contacts with Angie Veracruz from Central Texas Artists Collective (CTAC), Cherie Hudson at The Cutting Edge Salon and Spa, William McKeever at D20 prints, and Brazos Books. Ms. Veracruz provides our clients with bi-weekly art sessions. Ms. Hudson provided four deserving parents with donated services to promote self-care. Mr. McKeever provided wood block t-shirt printing sessions, and Brazos Books offered a discount on the books we purchased. We have also received donated books from Half Price Books and I ran a successful book drive with Usborne books.
We have been able to provide better services, activities, and support to our clients at Klaras Center for Families in part due to the Y.E.S. waiver program and in part due to the community support that we have received. It is important to encourage our clients by showing them that they have a team of people that want them to succeed. In 12 months we can transform a life and give a family hope for the future.
Kiera Collins, born and raised in New Orleans, La., is a behavior specialist at Klaras Center for Families. She is a lover of words and all things weird. She is a writer, poet, and artist that spends her days thinking creatively and outside the box. Follow her blog: www.lessonsattheranch.wordpress.com .
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email ashleyt@actlocallywaco.org for more information.