United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County
In Jack’s freshman year of high school, he noticed his feelings were that of prolonged anxiety. He noticed that unlike being anxious for a big test or game, he couldn’t focus on school or around friends. The physical illness that began to present itself was not going away. His family and friends noticed, too. Initially, Jack thought he could shake it; that he could distract himself from his anxious thoughts. But when they weren’t going away, he knew there was something more to this.
"I thought that if I just powered through, if I just kept going and focusing on other things that at some point I would just relax," he said. "That, of course, never happened."
Jack’s mom, Anne, recalled that her son used to be social and active in sports, but as his anxiety developed, he was changing.
“The world has changed so much in the last 15-20 years,” she said. “And the pressures on high school kids particularly have grown exponentially.”
Jack isn’t alone. Young adults aged 18-25 who are experiencing mental illness has risen from 26% to 37%1. And whether he knows it or not, there are other kids in Jack’s school struggling with the same thoughts and feelings.
Today’s youth are facing many stressors, including high school and navigating what’s next. Seeing that youth mental health is experiencing an urgent need, United Way, with guidance from local, state, and national experts, as well as those with lived experience, launched our newest initiative, Teen Mental Wellness: Empowering Minds. The initiative’s focus is to create Empowering Minds Schools of Distinction, which provide a continuum of services that promote student mental health and well-being. Together with our community partners, we’ve set a goal: Empowering Minds Schools will elevate the mental wellness of 21,000 high school students by 2030.
1Office of Children’s Mental Health, 2023 Annual Report
Jack and Anne were able to find help, but they acknowledge that not every family has the same opportunity. They look forward to Teen Mental Wellness: Empowering Minds in schools, where Jack and his peers spend most of their days.
Together, we can make this happen. Your donation to Teen Mental Wellness: Empowering Minds changes the lives of local youth and helps our community Live United.
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