Before I begin this article, I would like to thank Mrs. Hack for her constant support in writing this article. Without her explanations and kind words, this article on Bring Change 2 Mind would not have been possible. I would also like to thank BC2M members Kiah Hack and Grace Preston, who accompanied Mrs. Hack during my interview, and provided their own support and ideas.  

Introduction  

Bring Change 2 Mind is a club at Lincoln-Way West High School that seeks to bring awareness to mental health and reduce the stigma around mental health struggles by normalizing seeking support. By cultivating a positive school culture through various activities and events, its members seek to promote mental health awareness at our school. Its sponsor, Mrs. Hack, runs each year’s chapter of the club for a national organization. She works with students to plan events at our school that highlight maintaining mental health and finding help for those who are struggling, including stress and anxiety management, suicide awareness and prevention, and the incorporation of kindness and positivity within the Lincoln-Way West High School community. Over the years, as the club grew with students, it has reached about 80 total members with meetings twice a month. For each of the unique activities that students promote in many different ways, such as through posters, social media advertisements, announcements, and through the encouragement of its members, its members seek to spread awareness through those community events.  

—————————————————————————————————————— 

Christina Hack – CH 

Lucas Coyle – LC 

—————————————————————————————————————— 

LC: How/when did you come to sponsor Bring Change 2 Mind? 

CH: “e received an email from the national organization approximately 3 years ago, which was the first time I heard about it. I connected with students who were passionate about mental health to see if this is something they would like to begin at LWW. They were very excited to be part of it, so we moved forward with creating the club. The club has continuously grown each year, which is very exciting! 

Suicide Prevention and Awareness  

Bring Change 2 Mind started the 2024-2025 school year with an activity to bring awareness to suicide and its prevention.  New and returning members “tied purple and teal ribbons around the trees in the front of the building to promote awareness amongst the community and school,” hoping to both educate and promote positive mental health in our community. In conjunction with the ribbons, Bring Change 2 Mind also “had a presentation for students to help them recognize the signs and signals and provided information on how/where to get help for themselves or a loved one.” With the beginning of the new school year, students were able to begin this chapter by making the West community aware of suicide prevention efforts as an initiative of our students while also symbolizing National Suicide Prevention Month. Through the work of Bring Change 2 Mind, students learned to find support for themselves or for a loved one when needed. 

 World Kindness Day  

On World Kindness Day, November 13, 2024, Bring Change 2 Mind had set-up “a photo booth with props available with different kindness quotes” for students in the cafeteria to use, as well as having “anonymously passed out clothespins with kindness quotes to students throughout the school day to promote a positive school culture and our Warriors are Kind initiative.” Members used the initiative to promote kindness and support during the social hours of the school day and were able to use social media to promote their message of positivity. Bring Change 2 Mind was able to successfully promote their Warriors are Kind initiative both with students and staff at Lincoln-Way West; their orange and black color scheme supporting school spirit. A quote on the World Kindness Day initiative from Kiah Hack and Grace Preston of BC2M: “The clips for acts of kindness (was the most successful event); , everyone went around doing it, and continued it from there.  I’d say that was the most successful.” 

Therapy Dogs 

Final exams are a prominent example of student-life stressors, with the large emphasis placed by teachers on final grades, college examinations, and preparation for success in academics. Stress and anxiety play a key factor in the negative mental health of high-school age students, which is why Bring Change 2 Mind began an initiative titled De-Stress Before the Test to help students who are struggling with managing stress before their final exams. Mrs. Hack and her students “had therapy dogs in for students during advisory hours before semester to help reduce stress before exams,” hoping to bring comfort to West’s students. 

 Mental Health Presentation 

At the end of 2024, students finished final exams at Lincoln-Way West before a new semester with resolutions on how to improve their lives in the new year. Bring Change 2 Mind took this opportunity to create a presentation for students to prioritize their mental health with the new year by “starting the new year with strategies on how to prioritize your mental health in 2025.” West students were given the opportunity to watch a slideshow arranged by BC2M, including tips and strategies for time management, sleep, hygiene, and keeping a balanced schedule. 

Random Acts of Kindness Day   

 The latest initiative hosted by Bring Change 2 Mind was coordinated in conjunction with Be the Change. Senior Class President Lucas Srebro, in conjunction with Be the Change, organized a Pickleball tournament benefitting Project Fire Buddies: An organization, “supporting critically ill children and their families, providing joy, companionship, and unforgettable experiences”, founded in 2016 by Kurt DeGroot and other firefighters was the beginning. Please consider donating to their mission: https://www.projectfirebuddies.org/.  By just donating, volunteering, or even starting a chapter with your local fire department, we can make a lifelong impact on our community members.  

On the Friday before Random Acts of Kindness Day, February 11, 2025, members of BC2M teamed up with Be the Change students to pass out heart-shaped “cards for children that are part of the Fire Buddies program. Over 100 cards were created for the children” during school lunch hours. The Lincoln-Way West community hoped to spread messages of kindness and support to the children who are registered under the Project Fire Buddies program, to remind them that they are strong and loved no matter what hardships they experience. Students were encouraged to go out of their way to give messages of kindness to these kids who have faced great challenges for their ages.  

 Conclusion  

LC: How has the school community supported your work? 

CH: It’s been really good, we’ve gotten a lot of support.  Even now, I’m getting kids who are messaging me. I think kids are now aware. Staff and students have responded positively to our activities. This is a club that anyone can join at any time.  There’s no application.  It’s just for kids who are interested in our school culture and promoting mental health awareness.” 

LC: Would you like more members to join your club? 

CH: We’re always looking to include people who want to be a part of this cause.  This club is a chapter of a national organization, so we do have a go-to director that we get grant funding for through the national organization.  We’re just looking to bring new, unique, and fun ideas into the school to promote mental health awareness and self-awareness and a positive school culture.” 

LC: “What do you have planned for the future? 

CH: We plan on continuing to provide program specific and school wide opportunities to students to promote mental health awareness, as well as continuing to do activities that are fun and promote a positive school culture. 

LC: “Do you have any major events planned for the future?” 

 CH: On May 1st, we have a mental health awareness activity planned for National Mental Health Awareness Month. Stay tuned!