The Rye Youth Council hosted 116 middle and high school students from Rye and Edgemont schools at the Rye Free Reading Room for the fourth annual Peer to Peer (P2P) Conference on Mental Health on Thursday, Oct. 17.
The attendees spent the day learning about mental health, including the signs and symptoms of anxiety and depression, and how to help a friend find help. Developed by the University of Michigan Eisenberg Depression Center, P2P is an evidence-based depression awareness and suicide prevention program that empowers students to create public awareness campaigns that reduce stigma, raise awareness, encourage help-seeking, and promote early detection of depression, anxiety, and related illnesses.
“I think the P2P message is empowering for high school students,” one student participant said. “High school is a big part of students’ lives, and P2P provides the necessary support we need during this difficult time in our lives.”
Another said, “I love being able to collaborate with different people who I don’t get to see every day. These are difficult but interesting topics that foster a more loving and supportive community.”
Jordan Lewis, a former collegiate athlete and social media coordinator from STEER in Port Chester, was the guest speaker and shared his own story and struggles with depression.
“It’s okay not to be okay,” Lewis said. “Seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. When you’re down at your lowest, always find your reason why.”
“I really enjoyed Jordan’s story, because he is from Port Chester and that makes it more relevant to us living in Rye,” one student said after the conference.
Given the critical state of youth mental health in the United States, in-school interventions like P2P are vital in maintaining student well-being, said Rye Youth Council executive director Lisa Dominici. The council is an agency partner to the University of Michigan Eisenberg Depression Center and will help schools in Westchester County launch the P2P initiative in their schools.