Local Students Helping Raise Mental Health Awareness in Clay County
posted on Thursday, May 21, 2026
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and this year’s theme, More Good Days, Together, highlights the importance of connection, support, and community. In Clay County, Spencer High School students are helping bring that message to life through a partnership focused on mental health awareness and suicide prevention resources.
A Community-Focused Project
Through the No Boundaries program at Spencer High School, students Luca Swanson, Gauge Durkos, and Haylie Kuhn partnered with Clay County Behavioral Health LINC (Local Initiative for Networking and Collaboration), to help raise awareness about 988, the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
No Boundaries gives students the opportunity to work directly with community partners on projects that make a real impact. Throughout the experience, students collaborated with local leaders, public health professionals, counselors, law enforcement, and healthcare organizations to help make mental health resources more visible throughout the community.
Raising Awareness About 988
One major focus of the project was helping more people learn about 988, which provides immediate support for individuals experiencing emotional distress or a mental health crisis.
Students found creative ways to share the message, including:
- Adding 988 information to the Spencer High School gymnasium jumbotron slideshow
- Placing 988 stickers in restroom mirrors at Kwik Star north of Spencer
- Teaming up with Occasions to create positive mental health messages on coffee sleeves, which were distributed by BlackEarth Java, Spencer Starbucks, and Medlar Coffee
- Working with local law enforcement to place 988 stickers on police and sheriff vehicles
- Partnering with Spencer Hospital to add 988 stickers to ambulances and hospital vehicles
These projects help place mental health resources in visible, everyday spaces throughout the community.
Learning Through Leadership
Beyond raising awareness, the project also helped the students grow personally and professionally. Through meetings, presentations, and collaboration with community partners, they gained confidence, communication skills, and firsthand experience working on meaningful community initiatives. They concluded the project by inviting classmates and community partners to participate in a mental health listening session.
More Good Days, Together
One of the biggest takeaways from the project has been seeing how willing the community is to support conversations around mental health. The students hope their work reminds others that mental health matters; it is okay to ask for help, and no one has to struggle alone.
If you or someone you know needs support, call or text 988 for immediate help.
- behavioral health
- linc