Get ready, Edison! A new mental health initiative is coming your way, and it will be a game changer. Bring Change 2 Mind (BC2M) is an organization that promotes awareness and education on mental and emotional health. They are partnering with Edison to create a student-led program to tackle mental health stigma and create a safe space for students to explore mental health topics. 

If that sounds exciting, get this; with a $500 grant from BC2M, the BC2M team will be able to create fun and engaging activities to help promote their cause. This is a chance for Edison students to make a real difference in their community and be the change they want to see in the world.

Sharfa Hassan, president of Connections Council, explains, “Bring Change 2 Mind is a nationwide mental health advocacy program where students lead the club in their school with BC2M resources, such as funding and activities.”

The Connections Council, a mental health club for Edison students, was originally created as a safe space for freshman students to support them in transitioning to a new school environment where they can freely express themselves without criticism or judgment. 

Their vision was to expand the mental health club beyond its current range and create a platform for all students and staff in the Edison community. 

“The importance of mental health and emotional wellbeing…people need to be healthy in their minds in order to be successful,” said Ms. Abramowitz, advisor of Connections Council.

“If you are not feeling well emotionally if you’re not able to cope with things emotionally, then it is difficult to be successful. And people deserve to be able to feel at peace,” said Abramowitz.

Maintaining a healthy and growth-oriented mindset is crucial, and the organization provides various resources to help achieve this. These include;

• An annual $500 grant for club activities 
• Year-round support from dedicated BC2M staff
• An invitation to the annual BC2M HS Student Summit, which brings together hundreds of members for a day of learning, inspiration, and connection
• Free annual Headspace meditation app subscriptions, and many more.

These resources enable students to expand their knowledge of mental health issues, improve their own mental well-being, and contribute to a supportive community.

You might be wondering how a mental health organization can advocate for so many communities. The organization recognizes that its efforts come from a diverse range of communities and therefore acknowledges the need to do the necessary work to ensure inclusivity. 

“We acknowledge that we might have shortcomings like some of our presentations might not be helpful to everyone, and we’re open to all feedback. So, if somebody says we don’t have a presentation that should exist, we’ll go and make it. Or, if one of our presentations doesn’t include a perspective from a certain background, we’ll be sure to edit it. And so that’s something that we’re constantly working on,” said Sophia Nericcio, Regional Program Manager of Bring Change 2 Mind.

Here are some success stories from our BC2M program managers and associates.

“So we had a lot of success during BC2M week. That’s a whole week where different clubs dedicate time to doing things specific to getting the word out about BC2M. So, I would say reaching a large audience within the school population has been a big highlight this year of the clubs I’ve seen. And having our clubs reach out to students who may be struggling or a little hesitant to talk about mental health. So, making those human-to-human connections have been a great success story,” said Jessie Bucci, Program Associate of Bring Change 2 Mind.

“There’s a school in Brooklyn where a lot of the student’s parents didn’t want them attending the Bring Change 2 Mind Summit…And so the club together wrote, like, a PSA to parents, like, what is Bring Change 2 Mind and why is mental health important. And that mental health is just as important as physical health. And a lot of those students were able to help their parents see them from a different light and be able to be respected,” said Nericcio.

These success stories demonstrate the significance of supporting mental health and building relationships in a positive environment, one school at a time. 

In 40 states and over 500 high school programs, Bring Change 2 Mind surpasses all its goals and continues to make great strides toward creating a more compassionate and understanding society.