Ryan Lipsett wants people who might be struggling with depression, anxiety or other forms of mental distress to know they are not alone.
And he’s enlisting his classmates at Oak Forest High School to help spread the message via art and storytelling.
The message is simple. Mental health problems are common and shouldn’t be treated as a stigma. Those who are struggling needn’t hide it, but rather should seek help.
“Just like other teens, there’s things I struggle with and it just puts me into the perspective that it’s a normal thing everyone goes through and there isn’t enough awareness of it,” Lipsett said. “It matters to me because everyone goes through it and people lose their lives to this. It’s a very serious thing that doesn’t get enough attention and it’s annoying to me that it gets under-shadowed around other issues.”
Lipsett, a junior at Oak Forest, is one of dozens of teens across the country invited by Creative Visions in Malibu, California, to join its Mental Health Youth Advisory Committee. The committee was launched March 2 in recognition of World Youth Mental Wellness Day to help promote mental health awareness among youth.
He wants his classmates to help create art, poetry and prose pieces to help get the word out. He pitched the idea of painting a mural in art class, promoted his ideas in entrepreneurship classes and asked the school’s Varsity Club to get involved.
One of his goals is to “promote that sports and mental health have a connection as well.”
“It’s a major thing since you’re dealing with sports on top of school,” Lipsett said.
During Spirit Week in May, which is in Mental Health Awareness Month, he’s suggested students might wear clothing to signify mental health, such as choosing purple and teal for suicide prevention, red for addiction prevention, yellow for ADHD. He’s also reached out to organizations at Oak Forest High, including the National Honor Society, as well as groups he’s affiliated with at the school, such as the Tri-M Music Honor Society, Student Council, Varsity Club, Chess Club and the varsity golf team.
Students involved in the national Creative Visions campaign, #CreateConnectCare, submit their creative work, and for their efforts receive perks and certificates as well as the opportunity to showcase their projects on the nonprofit’s online gallery.
“Creativity is a powerful tool for changing hearts and minds and that is what young people want to do – change the narrative on youth mental health and well-being and support and getting connected for help,” said Kathy Saulitis, a senior advisor at Creative Visions. One other student is participating from Illinois, Lillian Huang from Glenbrook North High School.
Jim Matlon, career and technical educator at Bremen High School District 228, isn’t surprised by Lipsett taking on a national role in the effort. He recognized the student’s gung-ho attitude and keen focus when he was a freshman in his personal finance class. Lipsett sat in the first row and the two formed a bond through their shared love of golf. Matlon, who also teaches entrepreneurship, also noted Lipsett’s desire to help others.
“I remember several occasions where Ryan had done things in class and went around helping his classmates, being like a true leader,” he said.
Matlon also said he could see his compassion and advocacy skills.
“That’s as genuine as it gets,” he said.
Janice Neumann is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
