Youth Depression is Real!Grade 7 and 8 students at Assikinack Elementary in Barrie, Ontario recently completed a series of workshops both on line and in person with youthLEADarts Inc.
Tina Tucker Bye, one of the mentors noted, “Their lines of the poetry were very powerful and poignant. They made very brave choices to take on issues that many are embarrassed or ashamed to speak about – like bullying, like feeling like you don’t belong, like mental health. Only very strong brave kids could tackle these kinds of subjects!”
“Technically, in a short time span- the re-filming and reorganizing of the footage really supports the “stories” being told: much smoother cuts, nice camera angles, much clearer voices and messages. I really like the addition of some of the background music to establish a sense of tension and importance in the build-up,” she continues.
As you watch the videos which will be featured here in the coming weeks, you can clearly see the learning that occurred, the confidence that evolved, the voices that were found, the striving towards excellence, the layering of artistry, the choices that were made as a group and the challenges that were embraced and dealt with (what to do when some of your group was absent). There are plenty of prideful moments seeing students who are normally quiet featured in the videos speaking with passion.
The messages the students share, their own messages about depression and about being bullied, about belonging are heartfelt and will resonate with many youth beyond their own community. They have impact.