““Student Voices Student Voices Loud and Proud”Loud and Proud”

Once upon a time a teacher Once upon a time a teacher shared a story with her class shared a story with her class about mental illness……. And about mental illness……. And

the rest is history……the rest is history……

The teacher explained all The teacher explained all aboutabout

……the suffering and worst of all the the suffering and worst of all the STIGMA!STIGMA!

They listened and decided they They listened and decided they would help so……..would help so……..

They brainstormed ideas to They brainstormed ideas to stop the stigma and raise stop the stigma and raise

money.money.

THEIR CUSTODIAN FRANK THEIR CUSTODIAN FRANK DESIGNED A “HAPPY BRAIN.”DESIGNED A “HAPPY BRAIN.”

THEY BEGAN A POSTER THEY BEGAN A POSTER AWARENESS AWARENESS CAMPAIGN…CAMPAIGN…

THEY WROTE LETTERS TO THEY WROTE LETTERS TO SENATORS, CELEBRITIES…SENATORS, CELEBRITIES…

EVEN THE PRESIDENT & EVEN THE PRESIDENT & THE FIRST LADY!!!!THE FIRST LADY!!!!

THEIR ART TEACHER THEIR ART TEACHER HELPED THEM DESIGN HELPED THEM DESIGN

THEIR BANNER!THEIR BANNER!

THEIR ENGLISH TEACHER THEIR ENGLISH TEACHER STOCKED AN OLD SOFTDRINK STOCKED AN OLD SOFTDRINK MACHINE TO MAKE MONEY!MACHINE TO MAKE MONEY!

They walked so that others could have a better life.

Even their parents Even their parents joined….joined….

They raised money and They raised money and spread the word that…..spread the word that…..

They cared………They cared……… THAT STIGMA HURTS…….THAT STIGMA HURTS……. THAT THAT AMERICA HAS TO AMERICA HAS TO

CHANGE……CHANGE……

They did such a great job that They did such a great job that they decided to walk again…..they decided to walk again…..

More students joined their More students joined their NAMI Club. NAMI Club.

They made more posters to They made more posters to teach the other students…teach the other students…

They even sold Nami lollipops They even sold Nami lollipops and bracelets…and bracelets…

Then the day arrived!!!Then the day arrived!!!

They asked everyone to join They asked everyone to join them!them!

Their older brothers & Their older brothers & sisters!sisters!

And younger ones!And younger ones!

They raised $8000.00….They raised $8000.00….

BECAUSE THEY WERE…..BECAUSE THEY WERE…..

DETERMINED TO END THE DETERMINED TO END THE DISCRIMINATION THAT DISCRIMINATION THAT SURROUNDS MENTAL ILLNESS SURROUNDS MENTAL ILLNESS

And they wanted everyone And they wanted everyone to live happily ever after…..to live happily ever after…..