Mental health is as important as one’s physical health. Poor mental health in teenagers affects more than just grades, but social interactions, life goals, and behavior. Habits in adolescence can carry over to their young adult life, and even later in life. Besides medication, there are ways to be proactive instead of reactive to negate adverse mental health situations. High school students face many stressful events during the school year. From lock outs and lock downs, perimeter searches by security due to neighborhood gun violence, and active shooter alerts, trigger many students psychological being. Even exam weeks or before rival sporting events, can heighten one’s senses, leading to mental health concerns. Moreover, bullying and harassment in K-12, alongside hostile behaviors and other types of victimization can negatively affect students with short and long-term mental health and overall well-being. The human-animal bond is remarkable. Research shows the health benefits of animal-assisted intervention (AAI) includes reduction in depressive symptoms and loneliness, decreasing anxiety, and enhancing social interaction (Friedman & Krause-Parello, 2018). Canines, for example, can be unbiased, impartial, and affectionate. It’s that feeling of being appreciated and welcomed, regardless of race, age, gender, and/or sexual orientation. AAI can be an engaging intervention to both small and large groups and includes both short term and long term benefits. By coordinating with local pet agencies that focus on improving human health and mental well-being via canine therapy visits could help alleviate some of the challenges faced by high school students and the mental health crisis among them through nonpharmacological means. After an incident in my school district with gun violence, I started to look at mental health from a different lens as it directly impacted me and my local community. I wanted to spread awareness and affect change regarding how mental health issues can be mended and advocate for social change surrounding the mental health stigma. With this I connected with my principal to see what sort of complementary alternative modalities we could bring to campus to support the mental health needs of students. This is what inspired me to create an animal assisted intervention program at my high school. Because of this, I received firsthand experience helping lead others and seeing a change in the aura of my peers. Therefore, my educational and career goal is to ultimately work with others to offset the mental health stigma our society is facing. I hope to build meaningful relationships for those to overcome emotional challenges. I will further my current knowledge of mental processes and find ways we can be proactive. A health-related degree will help achieve my goals. I will do this by finding new and innovative ways to study cognitive and behavioral processes. Making substantive contributions to basic knowledge in cognitive psychology such as studying mental processes, reasoning, perception, and how it impacts human behavior is a way I can contribute to society and help streamline the convoluted process of obtaining alternative treatment option for those struggling with mental health.

The Center for Disease Control’s “Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Data Summary and Trends Report: 2011-2021” reported that in 2021, more than 4 in 10 U.S high school students felt persistently sad or hopeless and 1 in 5 seriously considered attempting suicide. Mental health is as important as one’s physical health. Poor mental health in teenagers affects more than just grades, but social interactions, life goals, and behavior. Habits in adolescence can carry over to their young adult life, and even later in life. Besides medication, there are ways to be proactive instead of reactive to negate adverse mental health situations. High school students face many stressful events during the school year. From lock outs and lock downs, perimeter searches by security due to neighborhood gun violence, and active shooter alerts, trigger many students psychological being. Even exam weeks or before rival sporting events, can heighten one’s senses, leading to mental health concerns. The human-animal bond is remarkable. Research shows the health benefits of animal-assisted intervention (AAI) includes reduction in depressive symptoms and loneliness, decreasing anxiety, and enhancing social interaction (Friedman & Krause-Parello, 2018). Canines, for example, can be unbiased, impartial, and affectionate. It’s that feeling of being appreciated and welcomed, regardless of race, age, gender, and/or sexual orientation. AAI can be an engaging intervention to both small and large groups and includes both short term and long term benefits. By coordinating with local pet agencies that focus on improving human health and mental well-being via canine therapy visits could help alleviate some of the challenges faced by high school students and the mental health crisis among them through nonpharmacological means. Organizations can contribute by being open to new ideas that may be unconventional, such as AAI. By being able to offer varying methods, individuals and organizations can contribute to a more supportive environment, especially for teenagers. After an incident in my school district with gun violence, I started to look at mental health from a different lens as it directly impacted me and my local community. I wanted to spread awareness and affect change regarding how mental health issues can be mended. With this I connected with my principal to see what sort of complementary alternative modalities we could bring to campus to support the mental health needs of students. This is what inspired me to create an animal assisted intervention program at my high school. Because of this, I received firsthand experience helping lead others and seeing a change in the aura of my peers. Therefore, my passionate contribution to society is to ultimately work with others to offset the mental health stigma our society is facing. My leadership style is that of servant leadership. I have the mindset of people first and inspire those around me to feel personally and professionally fulfilled. I hope to further our current knowledge of mental processes and find ways we can be proactive and reduce the stigma of mental health. I will do this by finding new and innovative ways to study cognitive and behavioral processes. Making substantive contributions to basic knowledge in cognitive psychology such as studying mental processes, reasoning, perception, and how it impacts human behavior is a way I can utilize my passion moving forward into my college career to further effect change.

The Center for Disease Control’s “Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Data Summary and Trends Report: 2011-2021” reported that in 2021, more than 4 in 10 U.S high school students felt persistently sad or hopeless and 1 in 5 seriously considered attempting suicide. Mental health is as important as one’s physical health. Poor mental health in teenagers affects more than just grades, but social interactions, life goals, and behavior. Habits in adolescence can carry over to their young adult life, and even later in life. Besides medication, there are ways to be proactive instead of reactive to negate adverse mental health situations. High school students face many stressful events during the school year. From lock outs and lock downs, perimeter searches by security due to neighborhood gun violence, and active shooter alerts, trigger many students psychological being. Even exam weeks or before rival sporting events, can heighten one’s senses, leading to mental health concerns. The human-animal bond is remarkable. Research shows the health benefits of animal-assisted intervention (AAI) includes reduction in depressive symptoms and loneliness, decreasing anxiety, and enhancing social interaction (Friedman & Krause-Parello, 2018). Canines, for example, can be unbiased, impartial, and affectionate. It’s that feeling of being appreciated and welcomed, regardless of race, age, gender, and/or sexual orientation. AAI can be an engaging intervention to both small and large groups and includes both short term and long-term benefits. By coordinating with local pet agencies that focus on improving human health and mental well-being via canine therapy visits could help alleviate some of the challenges faced by high school students and the mental health crisis among them through nonpharmacological means. Organizations can contribute by being open to new ideas that may be unconventional, such as AAI. My hope is to have organizations provide varying methods to support the mental health needs of their employee to be able to contribute to a more supportive environment. After an incident in my school district with gun violence, I started to look at mental health from a different lens as it directly impacted me and my local community. I wanted to spread awareness and affect change regarding how mental health issues can be mended. With this I connected with my principal to see what sort of complementary alternative modalities we could bring to campus to support the mental health needs of students. This is what inspired me to create an animal assisted intervention program at my high school. Because of this, I received firsthand experience helping lead others and seeing a change in the aura of my peers. Therefore, my educational and career goal is to ultimately work with others to offset the mental health stigma our society is facing by studying pre-medical in college. Just as the Brian J. Boley Memorial Scholarship aims to transform the mental health landscape, I hope to build meaningful relationships for those to overcome emotional challenges. I hope to further our current knowledge of mental processes and find ways we can be proactive and reduce mental health stigma. I will do this by finding new and innovative ways to study cognitive and behavioral processes. Making substantive contributions to basic knowledge in cognitive psychology such as studying mental processes, reasoning, perception, and how it impacts human behavior is a way I can contribute to society. A health-related degree will help achieve my goals and thus the reason for me wanting this scholarship.

As a family member of several Veterans from different branches of the military, and a daughter of a federal employee, I feel privileged to be able to share a story for this scholarship. My Uncle, a retired Army Captain, once told me a story about his time while serving in the Gulf War, which has always left a lasting impression on me. Such a simple object yet a profound affect on a humans soul is what stuck with me all this time. When we were on our annual family vacation in Upstate New York, I noticed a wooden object in his toiletry bag and asked what about it. This is where the story begins. While he had just recently started dating my Aunt, he received orders to serve overseas. “I will always place the mission first” he recalls thinking and packed his bags and left. It was his 2nd time in Iraq, and this time was no different about being concerned about what this time would be like. Fear and trepidation set in as his helicopter flew over what would be his makeshift “home” for the next few months. He recalls the orange sand, the sounds of constant missiles and gun fire, and the smell of smoke and burning items. He arrived off the flight with the other members and was taken to his barracks, which really were just tents. What was different about this trip was he had a picture of my Aunt with him to keep him company. He brought it as a reminder of what was waiting for him back home and willed him to be careful and to survive and return home safely. With all these thoughts swirling around his head, he walked into his tent that consisted of tan bare fabric walls, a flapping door with no lock, and the torn corner where dirt and debris accumulated. As he scanned his surroundings, it was at that moment that he spotted a wooden, makeshift cross, craved from a probable army knife hanging above the tarnished mirror that the previous soldier left behind. He recalls a feeling of warmth and safety rush over him and a sense of calmness, regardless of the chaos outside. He said it felt like time stood still and silence came over him, for he cannot recall for how long. Not being a religious man, he was struck by this newfound sensation and faith. For the next few months, he met with the chaplain on several occasions and completed his tour of duty. He credits this simple cross to being able to return home safely and get him through his time. He kept the cross all this time as a remembrance if his time served.

The Center for Disease Control’s “Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Data Summary and Trends Report: 2011-2021” reported that in 2021, more than 4 in 10 U.S high school students felt persistently sad or hopeless and 1 in 5 seriously considered attempting suicide. Mental health is as important as one’s physical health. Poor mental health in teenagers affects more than just grades, but social interactions, life goals, and behavior. Habits in adolescence can carry over to their young adult life, and even later in life. Besides medication, there are ways to be proactive instead of reactive to negate adverse mental health situations. High school students face many stressful events during the school year. From lock outs and lock downs, perimeter searches by security due to neighborhood gun violence, and active shooter alerts, trigger many students psychological being. Even exam weeks or before rival sporting events, can heighten one’s senses, leading to mental health concerns. The human-animal bond is remarkable. Research shows the health benefits of animal-assisted intervention (AAI) includes reduction in depressive symptoms and loneliness, decreasing anxiety, and enhancing social interaction (Friedman & Krause-Parello, 2018). Canines, for example, can be unbiased, impartial, and affectionate. It’s that feeling of being appreciated and welcomed, regardless of race, age, gender, and/or sexual orientation. AAI can be an engaging intervention to both small and large groups and includes both short term and long-term benefits. By coordinating with local pet agencies that focus on improving human health and mental well-being via canine therapy visits could help alleviate some of the challenges faced by high school students and the mental health crisis among them through nonpharmacological means. Organizations can contribute by being open to new ideas that may be unconventional, such as AAI. My hope is to have organizations provide varying methods to support the mental health needs of their employee to be able to contribute to a more supportive environment. This aligns with Jim Coots holistic health scholarship. After an incident in my school district with gun violence, I started to look at mental health from a different lens as it directly impacted me and my local community. I wanted to spread awareness and affect change regarding how mental health issues can be mended. With this I connected with my principal to see what sort of complementary alternative modalities we could bring to campus to support the mental health needs of students. This is what inspired me to create an animal assisted intervention program at my high school. Because of this, I received firsthand experience helping lead others and seeing a change in the aura of my peers. Therefore, my educational and career goal is to ultimately work with others to offset the mental health stigma our society is facing by studying pre-medical in college. Just as Mr. Coots made a difference to the lives he touched, I too, hope to build meaningful relationships for those to overcome emotional challenges. I hope to further our current knowledge of mental processes and find ways we can be proactive and reduce mental health stigma. I will do this by finding new and innovative ways to study cognitive and behavioral processes. Making substantive contributions to basic knowledge in cognitive psychology such as studying mental processes, reasoning, perception, and how it impacts human behavior is a way I can contribute to society. A health-related degree will help achieve my goals and thus the reason for me wanting this scholarship.

The Center for Disease Control’s “Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Data Summary and Trends Report: 2011-2021” reported that in 2021, more than 4 in 10 U.S high school students felt persistently sad or hopeless and 1 in 5 seriously considered attempting suicide. Mental health is as important as one’s physical health. Poor mental health in teenagers affects more than just grades, but social interactions, life goals, and behavior. Habits in adolescence can carry over to their young adult life, and even later in life. Besides medication, there are ways to be proactive instead of reactive to negate adverse mental health situations. High school students face many stressful events during the school year. From lock outs and lock downs, perimeter searches by security due to neighborhood gun violence, and active shooter alerts, trigger many students psychological being. Even exam weeks or before rival sporting events, can heighten one’s senses, leading to mental health concerns. The human-animal bond is remarkable. Research shows the health benefits of animal-assisted intervention (AAI) includes reduction in depressive symptoms and loneliness, decreasing anxiety, and enhancing social interaction (Friedman & Krause-Parello, 2018). Canines, for example, can be unbiased, impartial, and affectionate. It’s that feeling of being appreciated and welcomed, regardless of race, age, gender, and/or sexual orientation. AAI can be an engaging intervention to both small and large groups and includes both short term and long-term benefits. By coordinating with local pet agencies that focus on improving human health and mental well-being via canine therapy visits could help alleviate some of the challenges faced by high school students and the mental health crisis among them through nonpharmacological means. Organizations can contribute by being open to new ideas that may be unconventional, such as AAI. Just as Joe Gilroy was a source of inspiration to those around him, my hope is to inspire organizations to provide varying methods to support the mental health needs of their employee to be able to contribute to a more supportive environment. The cost is minimal, if any, as most AAI is volunteer basis. After an incident in my school district with gun violence, I started to look at mental health from a different lens as it directly impacted me and my local community. I wanted to spread awareness and affect change regarding how mental health issues can be mended. With this I connected with my principal to see what sort of complementary alternative modalities we could bring to campus to support the mental health needs of students. This is what inspired me to create an animal assisted intervention program at my high school. Because of this, I received firsthand experience helping lead others and seeing a change in the aura of my peers. Therefore, my educational and career goal is to ultimately work with others to offset the mental health stigma our society is facing by studying pre-medical in college. I hope to build meaningful relationships for those to overcome emotional challenges. I hope to further our current knowledge of mental processes and find ways we can be proactive and reduce mental health stigma. I will do this by finding new and innovative ways to study cognitive and behavioral processes. Making substantive contributions to basic knowledge in cognitive psychology such as studying mental processes, reasoning, perception, and how it impacts human behavior is a way I can contribute to society. A health-related degree will help achieve my goals and thus the reason for me wanting this scholarship.

After an incident in my school district with gun violence, I started to look at mental health from a different lens as it directly impacted me and my local community. I wanted to spread awareness and affect change regarding how mental health issues can be mended. With this I connected with my principal to see what sort of complementary alternative modalities we could bring to campus to support the mental health needs of students. This is what inspired me to create an animal assisted intervention program at my high school. The human-animal bond is remarkable. Research shows the health benefits of animal-assisted intervention (AAI) includes reduction in depressive symptoms and loneliness, decreasing anxiety, and enhancing social interaction (Friedman & Krause-Parello, 2018). Canines, for example, can be unbiased, impartial, and affectionate. It’s that feeling of being appreciated and welcomed, regardless of race, age, gender, and/or sexual orientation. AAI can be an engaging intervention to both small and large groups and includes both short term and long term benefits. Therefore, my educational and career goal is to ultimately work with others to offset the mental health stigma our society is facing. I hope to build meaningful relationships for those to overcome emotional challenges. I hope to further our current knowledge of mental processes and find ways we can be proactive and reduce mental health stigma. A health-related degree will help achieve my goals. I will do this by finding new and innovative ways to study cognitive and behavioral processes. Making substantive contributions to basic knowledge in cognitive psychology such as studying mental processes, reasoning, perception, and how it impacts human behavior is a way I can contribute to society.

The Center for Disease Control’s “Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Data Summary and Trends Report: 2011-2021” reported that in 2021, more than 4 in 10 U.S high school students felt persistently sad or hopeless and 1 in 5 seriously considered attempting suicide. Mental health is as important as one’s physical health. Poor mental health in teenagers affects more than just grades, but social interactions, life goals, and behavior. Habits in adolescence can carry over to their young adult life, and even later in life. Besides medication, there are ways to be proactive instead of reactive to negate adverse mental health situations. High school students face many stressful events during the school year. From lock outs and lock downs, perimeter searches by security due to neighborhood gun violence, and active shooter alerts, trigger many students psychological being. Even exam weeks or before rival sporting events, can heighten one’s senses, leading to mental health concerns. The human-animal bond is remarkable. Research shows the health benefits of animal-assisted intervention (AAI) includes reduction in depressive symptoms and loneliness, decreasing anxiety, and enhancing social interaction (Friedman & Krause-Parello, 2018). Canines, for example, can be unbiased, impartial, and affectionate. It’s that feeling of being appreciated and welcomed, regardless of race, age, gender, and/or sexual orientation. AAI can be an engaging intervention to both small and large groups and includes both short term and long term benefits. By coordinating with local pet agencies that focus on improving human health and mental well-being via canine therapy visits could help alleviate some of the challenges faced by high school students and the mental health crisis among them through nonpharmacological means. Organizations can contribute by being open to new ideas that may be unconventional, such as AAI. As DxTx Pain & Spine strives to provide ethical and humble services, my hope is to have organizations provide varying methods to support the mental health needs of their employee to be able to contribute to a more supportive, smart and ethical environment. After an incident in my school district with gun violence, I started to look at mental health from a different lens as it directly impacted me and my local community. I wanted to spread awareness and affect change regarding how mental health issues can be mended. With this I connected with my school leadership to see what sort of complementary alternative modalities we could bring to campus to support the mental health needs of students. This is what inspired me to create an animal assisted intervention program at my high school. Because of this, I received firsthand experience helping lead others and seeing a change in the aura of my peers. Therefore, my educational and career goal is to ultimately work with others to offset the mental health stigma our society is facing by being a mental health nurse. I hope to build meaningful relationships for those to overcome emotional challenges. I hope to further our current knowledge of mental processes and find ways we can be proactive and reduce mental health stigma. A health-related degree will help achieve my goals. I will do this by finding new and innovative ways to study cognitive and behavioral processes. Making substantive contributions to basic knowledge in cognitive psychology such as studying mental processes, reasoning, perception, and how it impacts human behavior is a way I can contribute to society.

Mental health is as important as one’s physical health. Poor mental health in teenagers affects more than just grades, but social interactions, life goals, and behavior. Habits in adolescence can carry over to their young adult life, and even later in life. Besides medication, there are ways to be proactive instead of reactive to negate adverse mental health situations. High school students face many stressful events during the school year. From lock outs and lock downs, perimeter searches by security due to neighborhood gun violence, and active shooter alerts, trigger many students psychological being. The human-animal bond is remarkable. Research shows the health benefits of animal-assisted intervention (AAI) includes enhancing social interaction. Canines, for example, can be unbiased, impartial, and affectionate. It’s that feeling of being appreciated and welcomed, regardless of race, age, gender, and/or sexual orientation. AAI can be an engaging intervention to both small and large groups and includes both short term and long term benefits. After an incident in my school district with gun violence, I started to look at mental health from a different lens as it directly impacted me and my local community. I wanted to spread awareness and affect change regarding how mental health issues can be mended and advocate for social change surrounding the mental health stigma. With this I connected with my principal to see what sort of complementary alternative modalities we could bring to campus to support the mental health needs of students. This is what inspired me to create an animal assisted intervention program at my high school. Because of this, I received firsthand experience helping lead others and seeing a change in the aura of my peers. Therefore, my educational and career goal is to ultimately work with others to offset the mental health stigma our society is facing. I hope to build meaningful relationships for those to overcome emotional challenges. I will further my current knowledge of mental processes and find ways we can be proactive. A health-related degree will help achieve my goals. I will do this by finding new and innovative ways to study cognitive and behavioral processes. Making substantive contributions to basic knowledge in cognitive psychology such as studying mental processes, reasoning, perception, and how it impacts human behavior is a way I can contribute to society and help streamline the convoluted process of obtaining alternative treatment option for those struggling with mental health.

The Center for Disease Control’s “Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Data Summary and Trends Report: 2011-2021” reported that in 2021, more than 4 in 10 U.S high school students felt persistently sad or hopeless and 1 in 5 seriously considered attempting suicide. Mental health is as important as one’s physical health. Poor mental health in teenagers affects more than just grades, but social interactions, life goals, and behavior. Habits in adolescence can carry over to their young adult life, and even later in life. Besides medication, there are ways to be proactive instead of reactive to negate adverse mental health situations. High school students face many stressful events during the school year. From lock outs and lock downs, perimeter searches by security due to neighborhood gun violence, and active shooter alerts, trigger many students psychological being. Even exam weeks or before rival sporting events, can heighten one’s senses, leading to mental health concerns. Moreover, bullying and harassment in K-12, alongside hostile behaviors and other types of victimization can negatively affect students with short and long-term mental health and overall well-being. The human-animal bond is remarkable. Research shows the health benefits of animal-assisted intervention (AAI) includes reduction in depressive symptoms and loneliness, decreasing anxiety, and enhancing social interaction (Friedman & Krause-Parello, 2018). Canines, for example, can be unbiased, impartial, and affectionate. It’s that feeling of being appreciated and welcomed, regardless of race, age, gender, and/or sexual orientation. AAI can be an engaging intervention to both small and large groups and includes both short term and long term benefits. By coordinating with local pet agencies that focus on improving human health and mental well-being via canine therapy visits could help alleviate some of the challenges faced by high school students and the mental health crisis among them through nonpharmacological means. Organizations can contribute by being open to new ideas that may be unconventional, such as AAI. My hope is to have organizations provide varying methods to support the mental health needs of their employee to be able to contribute to a more supportive environment. After an incident in my school district with gun violence, I started to look at mental health from a different lens as it directly impacted me and my local community. I wanted to spread awareness and affect change regarding how mental health issues can be mended and advocate for social change surrounding the mental health stigma. With this I connected with my principal to see what sort of complementary alternative modalities we could bring to campus to support the mental health needs of students. This is what inspired me to create an animal assisted intervention program at my high school. Because of this, I received firsthand experience helping lead others and seeing a change in the aura of my peers. Therefore, my educational and career goal is to ultimately work with others to offset the mental health stigma our society is facing. I hope to build meaningful relationships for those to overcome emotional challenges. I will further my current knowledge of mental processes and find ways we can be proactive. A health-related degree will help achieve my goals. I will do this by finding new and innovative ways to study cognitive and behavioral processes. Making substantive contributions to basic knowledge in cognitive psychology such as studying mental processes, reasoning, perception, and how it impacts human behavior is a way I can contribute to society and help streamline the convoluted process of obtaining alternative treatment option for those struggling with mental health.

The Center for Disease Control’s “Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Data Summary and Trends Report: 2011-2021” reported that in 2021, more than 4 in 10 U.S high school students felt persistently sad or hopeless and 1 in 5 seriously considered attempting suicide. Mental health is as important as one’s physical health. Poor mental health in teenagers affects more than just grades, but social interactions, life goals, and behavior. Habits in adolescence can carry over to their young adult life, and even later in life. Besides medication, there are ways to be proactive instead of reactive to negate adverse mental health situations. High school students face many stressful events during the school year. From lock outs and lock downs, perimeter searches by security due to neighborhood gun violence, and active shooter alerts, trigger many students psychological being. Even exam weeks or before rival sporting events, can heighten one’s senses, leading to mental health concerns. The human-animal bond is remarkable. Research shows the health benefits of animal-assisted intervention (AAI) includes reduction in depressive symptoms and loneliness, decreasing anxiety, and enhancing social interaction (Friedman & Krause-Parello, 2018). Canines, for example, can be unbiased, impartial, and affectionate. It’s that feeling of being appreciated and welcomed, regardless of race, age, gender, and/or sexual orientation. AAI can be an engaging intervention to both small and large groups and includes both short term and long term benefits. By coordinating with local pet agencies that focus on improving human health and mental well-being via canine therapy visits could help alleviate some of the challenges faced by high school students and the mental health crisis among them through nonpharmacological means. Organizations can contribute by being open to new ideas that may be unconventional, such as AAI. By being able to offer varying methods, individuals and organizations can contribute to a more supportive environment, especially for teenagers. After an incident in my school district with gun violence, I started to look at mental health from a different lens as it directly impacted me and my local community. I wanted to spread awareness and affect change regarding how mental health issues can be mended. With this I connected with my principal to see what sort of complementary alternative modalities we could bring to campus to support the mental health needs of students. This is what inspired me to create an animal assisted intervention program at my high school. Because of this, I received firsthand experience helping lead others and seeing a change in the aura of my peers. Therefore, my passionate contribution to women in society is to ultimately work with others to offset the mental health stigma our society is facing. My leadership style is that of servant leadership. I have the mindset of people first and inspire those around me to feel personally and professionally fulfilled. I hope to further our current knowledge of mental processes and find ways we can be proactive and reduce the stigma of mental health. I will do this by finding new and innovative ways to study cognitive and behavioral processes. Making substantive contributions to basic knowledge in cognitive psychology such as studying mental processes, reasoning, perception, and how it impacts human behavior is a way I can utilize my passion moving forward into my college career to further effect change.

The Center for Disease Control’s “Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Data Summary and Trends Report: 2011-2021” reported that in 2021, more than 4 in 10 U.S high school students felt persistently sad or hopeless and 1 in 5 seriously considered attempting suicide. Mental health is as important as one’s physical health. Poor mental health in teenagers affects more than just grades, but social interactions, life goals, and behavior. Habits in adolescence can carry over to their young adult life, and even later in life. Besides medication, there are ways to be proactive instead of reactive to negate adverse mental health situations. High school students face many stressful events during the school year. From lock outs and lock downs, perimeter searches by security due to neighborhood gun violence, and active shooter alerts, trigger many students psychological being. Even exam weeks or before rival sporting events, can heighten one’s senses, leading to mental health concerns. The human-animal bond is remarkable. Research shows the health benefits of animal-assisted intervention (AAI) includes reduction in depressive symptoms and loneliness, decreasing anxiety, and enhancing social interaction (Friedman & Krause-Parello, 2018). Canines, for example, can be unbiased, impartial, and affectionate. It’s that feeling of being appreciated and welcomed, regardless of race, age, gender, and/or sexual orientation. AAI can be an engaging intervention to both small and large groups and includes both short term and long term benefits. By coordinating with local pet agencies that focus on improving human health and mental well-being via canine therapy visits could help alleviate some of the challenges faced by high school students and the mental health crisis among them through nonpharmacological means. Organizations can contribute by being open to new ideas that may be unconventional, such as AAI. By being able to offer varying methods, individuals and organizations can contribute to a more supportive environment, especially for teenagers. After an incident in my school district with gun violence, I started to look at mental health from a different lens as it directly impacted me and my local community. I wanted to spread awareness and affect change regarding how mental health issues can be mended. With this I connected with my principal to see what sort of complementary alternative modalities we could bring to campus to support the mental health needs of students. This is what inspired me to create an animal assisted intervention program at my high school. Because of this, I received firsthand experience helping lead others and seeing a change in the aura of my peers. Therefore, my passionate contribution to society is to ultimately work with others to offset the mental health stigma our society is facing. My leadership style is that of servant leadership. I have the mindset of people first and inspire those around me to feel personally and professionally fulfilled. I hope to further our current knowledge of mental processes and find ways we can be proactive and reduce the stigma of mental health. I will do this by finding new and innovative ways to study cognitive and behavioral processes. Making substantive contributions to basic knowledge in cognitive psychology such as studying mental processes, reasoning, perception, and how it impacts human behavior is a way I can utilize my passion moving forward into my college career to further effect change.

The human-animal bond is remarkable. Research shows the health benefits of animal-assisted intervention (AAI) includes reduction in depressive symptoms and loneliness, decreasing anxiety, and enhancing social interaction (Friedman & Krause-Parello, 2018). Canines, for example, can be unbiased, impartial, and affectionate. It’s that feeling of being appreciated and welcomed, regardless of race, age, gender, and/or sexual orientation. AAI can be an engaging intervention to both small and large groups and includes both short term and long term benefits. By coordinating with local pet agencies that focus on improving human health and mental well-being via canine therapy visits could help alleviate some of the challenges faced by high school students and the mental health crisis among them through nonpharmacological means. Organizations can contribute by being open to new ideas that may be unconventional, such as AAI. As most companies strive to provide services to people to be able to react quickly to the various business threats an organization faces, my hope is to have organizations provide varying methods to support the mental health needs of their employee to be able to contribute to a more supportive environment. After taking college level business class in high school last semester, I realize how important customer service is and how business owners need to be passionate about their products and services in order to get consumer buy in. After an incident in my school district with gun violence, I started to look at mental health from a different lens as it directly impacted me and my local community. I wanted to spread awareness and affect change regarding how mental health issues can be mended. With this I connected with my principal to see what sort of complementary alternative modalities we could bring to campus to support the mental health needs of students. This is what inspired me to create an animal assisted intervention program at my high school. Because of this, I received firsthand experience helping lead others and seeing a change in the aura of my peers. Therefore, my educational and career goal is to ultimately work with others to offset the mental health stigma our society is facing by creating an AAI business that organizations can turn to so they can support their employees. I would be committed to building stronger, deeper relationships with my clients to overcome business challenges by building meaningful relationships for those to overcome emotional challenges. As a business owner, I will continue to further my current knowledge of mental processes and find ways we, as society, can be proactive and reduce mental health stigma. A college degree will help achieve my goals. I will be able to find new and innovative ways to study cognitive and behavioral processes and by making substantive contributions to basic knowledge in cognitive psychology such as studying mental processes, reasoning, perception, and how it impacts human behavior. By having the entrepreneurial spirit, I can bridge my business skills and the healthcare knowledge to impact people in the world.

When I read about the life and ancestry of Patrick A. Visaggi, I was immediately drawn by the shared connections we have together. Therefore, I am excited to be able to apply for this scholarship. You see, I grew up in Florida, until I was about nine years old. My family and I would spend much of our free time visiting our snowbird grandparents, who lived both in New Jersey and New York. My paternal side of the family, my great grandfather, came right over on the boat from Italy. My uncle, a purple heart recipient from World War II, was a military Veteran. My Nonno and Nonna therefore raised my grandfather with many Italian traditions that were passed down to us. My maternal side lives at the New Jersey shore (Long Beach Island) and there isn’t a summer we haven’t been back to visit and play at the shore. I sometime mention to my friends we are going to the “shore” and I have to clarify it’s the “beach”, as only Jersey folks get that lingo. My Zio, is also hard core Italian descent and my Zia dedicates her life to Wounded Warriors, My mother works for the Department of Veterans Affairs and my father is an employee of a unionized company. While I do not play a musical instrument like Patrick did, I do like the outdoors. In fact, many summers have been spent at Trout Lake in upstate NY to camp, fish, and canoe. The human-animal bond is remarkable. Research shows the health benefits of animal-assisted intervention (AAI) includes reduction in depressive symptoms and loneliness, decreasing anxiety, and enhancing social interaction (Friedman & Krause-Parello, 2018). Canines, for example, can be unbiased, impartial, and affectionate. It’s that feeling of being appreciated and welcomed, regardless of race, age, gender, and/or sexual orientation. AAI can be an engaging intervention to both small and large groups and includes both short term and long term benefits. As an animal lover, my educational and career goal is to ultimately work with others to offset the mental health stigma our society is facing using complementary alternative medicine techniques such as Animal Assisted Intervention (AAI). I have already started the program at my high school this past year and have put into place the processes to sustain it after I graduate. I hope to have canines, such as Copper, be able to bring joy and happiness to each person they encounter. Thank you for sponsoring this scholarship. Salute!

The Center for Disease Control’s “Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Data Summary and Trends Report: 2011-2021” reported that in 2021, more than 4 in 10 U.S high school students felt persistently sad or hopeless and 1 in 5 seriously considered attempting suicide. Mental health is as important as one’s physical health. Poor mental health in teenagers affects more than just grades, but social interactions, life goals, and behavior. Habits in adolescence can carry over to their young adult life, and even later in life. Besides medication, there are ways to be proactive instead of reactive to negate adverse mental health situations. High school students face many stressful events during the school year. From lock outs and lock downs, perimeter searches by security due to neighborhood gun violence, and active shooter alerts, trigger many students psychological being. Even exam weeks or before rival sporting events, can heighten one’s senses, leading to mental health concerns. Moreover, bullying and harassment in K-12, alongside hostile behaviors and other types of victimization can negatively affect students with short and long-term mental health and overall well-being. The human-animal bond is remarkable. Research shows the health benefits of animal-assisted intervention (AAI) includes reduction in depressive symptoms and loneliness, decreasing anxiety, and enhancing social interaction (Friedman & Krause-Parello, 2018). Canines, for example, can be unbiased, impartial, and affectionate. It’s that feeling of being appreciated and welcomed, regardless of race, age, gender, and/or sexual orientation. AAI can be an engaging intervention to both small and large groups and includes both short term and long term benefits. By coordinating with local pet agencies that focus on improving human health and mental well-being via canine therapy visits could help alleviate some of the challenges faced by high school students and the mental health crisis among them through nonpharmacological means. Organizations can contribute by being open to new ideas that may be unconventional, such as AAI. My hope is to have organizations provide varying methods to support the mental health needs of their employee to be able to contribute to a more supportive environment. After an incident in my school district with gun violence, I started to look at mental health from a different lens as it directly impacted me and my local community. I wanted to spread awareness and affect change regarding how mental health issues can be mended and advocate for social change surrounding the mental health stigma. With this I connected with my principal to see what sort of complementary alternative modalities we could bring to campus to support the mental health needs of students. This is what inspired me to create an animal assisted intervention program at my high school. Because of this, I received firsthand experience helping lead others and seeing a change in the aura of my peers. Therefore, my educational and career goal is to ultimately work with others to offset the mental health stigma our society is facing. I hope to build meaningful relationships for those to overcome emotional challenges. I will further my current knowledge of mental processes and find ways we can be proactive. A health-related degree will help achieve my goals. I will do this by finding new and innovative ways to study cognitive and behavioral processes. Making substantive contributions to basic knowledge in cognitive psychology such as studying mental processes, reasoning, perception, and how it impacts human behavior is a way I can contribute to society and help streamline the convoluted process of obtaining alternative treatment option for those struggling with mental health.

The Center for Disease Control’s “Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Data Summary and Trends Report: 2011-2021” reported that in 2021, more than 4 in 10 U.S high school students felt persistently sad or hopeless and 1 in 5 seriously considered attempting suicide. Mental health is as important as one’s physical health. Poor mental health in teenagers affects more than just grades, but social interactions, life goals, and behavior. Habits in adolescence can carry over to their young adult life, and even later in life. Besides medication, there are ways to be proactive instead of reactive to negate adverse mental health situations. High school students face many stressful events during the school year. From lock outs and lock downs, perimeter searches by security due to neighborhood gun violence, and active shooter alerts, trigger many students psychological being. Even exam weeks or before rival sporting events, can heighten one’s senses, leading to mental health concerns. Moreover, bullying and harassment in K-12, alongside hostile behaviors and other types of victimization can negatively affect students with short and long-term mental health and overall well-being. The human-animal bond is remarkable. Research shows the health benefits of animal-assisted intervention (AAI) includes reduction in depressive symptoms and loneliness, decreasing anxiety, and enhancing social interaction (Friedman & Krause-Parello, 2018). Canines, for example, can be unbiased, impartial, and affectionate. It’s that feeling of being appreciated and welcomed, regardless of race, age, gender, and/or sexual orientation. AAI can be an engaging intervention to both small and large groups and includes both short term and long term benefits. By coordinating with local pet agencies that focus on improving human health and mental well-being via canine therapy visits could help alleviate some of the challenges faced by high school students and the mental health crisis among them through nonpharmacological means. Organizations can contribute by being open to new ideas that may be unconventional, such as AAI. My hope is to have organizations provide varying methods to support the mental health needs of their employee to be able to contribute to a more supportive environment. After an incident in my school district with gun violence, I started to look at mental health from a different lens as it directly impacted me and my local community. I wanted to spread awareness and affect change regarding how mental health issues can be mended and advocate for social change surrounding the mental health stigma. With this I connected with my principal to see what sort of complementary alternative modalities we could bring to campus to support the mental health needs of students. This is what inspired me to create an animal assisted intervention program at my high school. Because of this, I received firsthand experience helping lead others and seeing a change in the aura of my peers. Therefore, my educational and career goal is to ultimately work with others to offset the mental health stigma our society is facing. I hope to build meaningful relationships for those to overcome emotional challenges. I will further my current knowledge of mental processes and find ways we can be proactive. A health-related degree will help achieve my goals. I will do this by finding new and innovative ways to study cognitive and behavioral processes. Making substantive contributions to basic knowledge in cognitive psychology such as studying mental processes, reasoning, perception, and how it impacts human behavior is a way I can contribute to society and help streamline the convoluted process of obtaining alternative treatment option for those struggling with mental health.

The Center for Disease Control’s “Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Data Summary and Trends Report: 2011-2021” reported that in 2021, more than 4 in 10 U.S high school students felt persistently sad or hopeless and 1 in 5 seriously considered attempting suicide. Mental health is as important as one’s physical health. Poor mental health in teenagers affects more than just grades, but social interactions, life goals, and behavior. Habits in adolescence can carry over to their young adult life, and even later in life. Besides medication, there are ways to be proactive instead of reactive to negate adverse mental health situations. High school students face many stressful events during the school year. From lock outs and lock downs, perimeter searches by security due to neighborhood gun violence, and active shooter alerts, trigger many students psychological being. Even exam weeks or before rival sporting events, can heighten one’s senses, leading to mental health concerns. Moreover, bullying and harassment in K-12, alongside hostile behaviors and other types of victimization can negatively affect students with short and long-term mental health and overall well-being. The human-animal bond is remarkable. Research shows the health benefits of animal-assisted intervention (AAI) includes reduction in depressive symptoms and loneliness, decreasing anxiety, and enhancing social interaction (Friedman & Krause-Parello, 2018). Canines, for example, can be unbiased, impartial, and affectionate. It’s that feeling of being appreciated and welcomed, regardless of race, age, gender, and/or sexual orientation. AAI can be an engaging intervention to both small and large groups and includes both short term and long term benefits. By coordinating with local pet agencies that focus on improving human health and mental well-being via canine therapy visits could help alleviate some of the challenges faced by high school students and the mental health crisis among them through nonpharmacological means. Organizations can contribute by being open to new ideas that may be unconventional, such as AAI. My hope is to have organizations provide varying methods to support the mental health needs of their employee to be able to contribute to a more supportive environment. After an incident in my school district with gun violence, I started to look at mental health from a different lens as it directly impacted me and my local community. I wanted to spread awareness and affect change regarding how mental health issues can be mended and advocate for social change surrounding the mental health stigma. With this I connected with my principal to see what sort of complementary alternative modalities we could bring to campus to support the mental health needs of students. This is what inspired me to create an animal assisted intervention program at my high school. Because of this, I received firsthand experience helping lead others and seeing a change in the aura of my peers. Therefore, my educational and career goal is to ultimately work with others to offset the mental health stigma our society is facing. I hope to build meaningful relationships for those to overcome emotional challenges. I will further my current knowledge of mental processes and find ways we can be proactive. A health-related degree will help achieve my goals. I will do this by finding new and innovative ways to study cognitive and behavioral processes. Making substantive contributions to basic knowledge in cognitive psychology such as studying mental processes, reasoning, perception, and how it impacts human behavior is a way I can contribute to society and help streamline the convoluted process of obtaining alternative treatment option for those struggling with mental health.

Mental health is as important as one’s physical health. Poor mental health in teenagers affects more than just grades, but social interactions, life goals, and behavior. Habits in adolescence can carry over to their young adult life, and even later in life. Besides medication, there are ways to be proactive instead of reactive to negate adverse mental health situations. High school students face many stressful events during the school year. From lock outs and lock downs, perimeter searches by security due to neighborhood gun violence, and active shooter alerts, trigger many students psychological being. Even exam weeks or before rival sporting events, can heighten one’s senses, leading to mental health concerns. Moreover, bullying and harassment in K-12, alongside hostile behaviors and other types of victimization can negatively affect students with short and long-term mental health and overall well-being. The human-animal bond is remarkable. Research shows the health benefits of animal-assisted intervention (AAI) includes reduction in depressive symptoms and loneliness, decreasing anxiety, and enhancing social interaction (Friedman & Krause-Parello, 2018). Canines, for example, can be unbiased, impartial, and affectionate. It’s that feeling of being appreciated and welcomed, regardless of race, age, gender, and/or sexual orientation. AAI can be an engaging intervention to both small and large groups and includes both short term and long term benefits. By coordinating with local pet agencies that focus on improving human health and mental well-being via canine therapy visits could help alleviate some of the challenges faced by high school students and the mental health crisis among them through nonpharmacological means. There are ways to support others in our everyday lives and this is just one way to do that. After an incident in my school district with gun violence, I started to look at mental health from a different lens as it directly impacted me and my local community. I wanted to spread awareness and affect change regarding how mental health issues can be mended and advocate for social change surrounding the mental health stigma. With this I connected with my principal to see what sort of complementary alternative modalities we could bring to campus to support the mental health needs of students. This is what inspired me to create an animal assisted intervention program at my high school. Because of this, I received firsthand experience helping lead others and seeing a change in the aura of my peers. Therefore, my educational and career goal is to ultimately work with others to offset the mental health stigma our society is facing. I hope to build meaningful relationships for those to overcome emotional challenges. A health-related degree will help achieve my goals. I will do this by finding new and innovative ways to study cognitive and behavioral processes. Making substantive contributions to basic knowledge in cognitive psychology such as studying mental processes, reasoning, perception, and how it impacts human behavior is a way I can contribute to society and help streamline the convoluted process of obtaining alternative treatment option for those struggling with mental health.

The Center for Disease Control’s “Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Data Summary and Trends Report: 2011-2021” reported that in 2021, more than 4 in 10 U.S high school students felt persistently sad or hopeless and 1 in 5 seriously considered attempting suicide. Mental health is as important as one’s physical health. Poor mental health in teenagers affects more than just grades, but social interactions, life goals, and behavior. Habits in adolescence can carry over to their young adult life, and even later in life. Besides medication, there are ways to be proactive instead of reactive to negate adverse mental health situations. The human-animal bond is remarkable. Research shows the health benefits of animal-assisted intervention (AAI) includes reduction in depressive symptoms and loneliness, decreasing anxiety, and enhancing social interaction (Friedman & Krause-Parello, 2018). Horses, for example, can be unbiased, impartial, and affectionate. It’s that feeling of being appreciated and welcomed, regardless of race, age, gender, and/or sexual orientation. AAI can be an engaging intervention to both small and large groups and includes both short term and long term benefits. Equine and canine-assisted therapies use horses and dogs as healers, and I firmly believe in its positive health outcomes. After an incident in my school district with gun violence, I started to look at mental health from a different lens as it directly impacted me and my local community. I wanted to spread awareness and affect change regarding how mental health issues can be mended. With this I connected with my principal to see what sort of complementary alternative modalities we could bring to campus to support the mental health needs of students. This is what inspired me to be the founder of an animal assisted intervention program at my high school. Because of this, I received firsthand experience helping lead others and seeing a change in the aura of my peers. Therefore, my passionate contribution to society is to ultimately work with others to offset the mental health stigma our society is facing. My volunteer service expands from serving humans to serving horses and everything in between. My first horse encounter was when I was 5 years old and taking lessons with "Pumpkin" and working on the land. As I got older, it progressed to volunteering at animal shelters and local educational farms with animals such as cattle, horses, goats, sheep, mini horses and poultry. Currently, I am the Founder and President of the Student Athlete Wellness Club (SAW). I started this club due to my passion for sports and the mental well-being of athletes. Members of my club participate in weekly meetings and discuss possible volunteer opportunities that correlate with our current goal of impacting the community’s societal wellness paired with physical health. I then set up the monthly volunteer opportunity we have chosen by connecting with multiple different programs and charity organizations. My volunteer service has taught me to lead by example and be the kind of person any animal would want to be around. I hope to further our current knowledge of mental processes and find ways we can be proactive and reduce the stigma of mental health. I will do this by finding new and innovative ways to study cognitive and behavioral processes. Making substantive contributions to basic knowledge in cognitive psychology such as studying mental processes, reasoning, perception, and how it impacts human behavior is a way I can utilize my passion moving forward into my college career to further effect change. My volunteerism, academics, and life events have helped fuel this career choice.

The Center for Disease Control’s “Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Data Summary and Trends Report: 2011-2021” reported that in 2021, more than 4 in 10 U.S high school students felt persistently sad or hopeless and 1 in 5 seriously considered attempting suicide. Mental health is as important as one’s physical health. Poor mental health in teenagers affects more than just grades, but social interactions, life goals, and behavior. Habits in adolescence can carry over to their young adult life, and even later in life. Besides medication, there are ways to be proactive instead of reactive to negate adverse mental health situations. The human-animal bond is remarkable. Research shows the health benefits of animal-assisted intervention (AAI) includes reduction in depressive symptoms and loneliness, decreasing anxiety, and enhancing social interaction (Friedman & Krause-Parello, 2018). Canines, for example, can be unbiased, impartial, and affectionate. It’s that feeling of being appreciated and welcomed, regardless of race, age, gender, and/or sexual orientation. AAI can be an engaging intervention to both small and large groups and includes both short term and long term benefits. By coordinating with local pet agencies that focus on improving human health and mental well-being via canine therapy visits could help alleviate some of the challenges faced by high school students and the mental health crisis among them through nonpharmacological means. After an incident in my school district with gun violence, I started to look at mental health from a different lens as it directly impacted me and my local community. I wanted to spread awareness and affect change regarding how mental health issues can be mended. With this I connected with my principal to see what sort of complementary alternative modalities we could bring to campus to support the mental health needs of students. This is what inspired me to create an animal assisted intervention program at my high school. Because of this, I received firsthand experience helping lead others and seeing a change in the aura of my peers. Therefore, my passionate contribution to society and my plan to make a positive impact on the world is to ultimately work with others to offset the mental health stigma our society is facing. I have the mindset of people first and inspire those around me to feel personally and professionally fulfilled. I hope to further our current knowledge of mental processes and find ways we can be proactive and reduce the stigma of mental health. I will do this by finding new and innovative ways to study cognitive and behavioral processes. Making substantive contributions to basic knowledge in cognitive psychology such as studying mental processes, reasoning, perception, and how it impacts human behavior is a way I can utilize my passion moving forward into my college career to further effect change.

The Center for Disease Control’s “Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Data Summary and Trends Report: 2011-2021” reported that in 2021, more than 4 in 10 U.S high school students felt persistently sad or hopeless and 1 in 5 seriously considered attempting suicide. Mental health is as important as one’s physical health. Poor mental health in teenagers affects more than just grades, but social interactions, life goals, and behavior. Habits in adolescence can carry over to their young adult life, and even later in life. Besides medication, there are ways to be proactive instead of reactive to negate adverse mental health situations. High school students face many stressful events during the school year. From lock outs and lock downs, perimeter searches by security due to neighborhood gun violence, and active shooter alerts, trigger many students psychological being. Even exam weeks or before rival sporting events, can heighten one’s senses, leading to mental health concerns. Moreover, bullying and harassment in K-12, alongside hostile behaviors and other types of victimization can negatively affect students with short and long-term mental health and overall well-being. The human-animal bond is remarkable. Research shows the health benefits of animal-assisted intervention (AAI) includes reduction in depressive symptoms and loneliness, decreasing anxiety, and enhancing social interaction (Friedman & Krause-Parello, 2018). Canines, for example, can be unbiased, impartial, and affectionate. It’s that feeling of being appreciated and welcomed, regardless of race, age, gender, and/or sexual orientation. AAI can be an engaging intervention to both small and large groups and includes both short term and long term benefits. By coordinating with local pet agencies that focus on improving human health and mental well-being via canine therapy visits could help alleviate some of the challenges faced by high school students and the mental health crisis among them through nonpharmacological means. Organizations can contribute by being open to new ideas that may be unconventional, such as AAI. My hope is to have organizations provide varying methods to support the mental health needs of their employee to be able to contribute to a more supportive environment. After an incident in my school district with gun violence, I started to look at mental health from a different lens as it directly impacted me and my local community. I wanted to spread awareness and affect change regarding how mental health issues can be mended and advocate for social change surrounding the mental health stigma. With this I connected with my principal to see what sort of complementary alternative modalities we could bring to campus to support the mental health needs of students. This is what inspired me to create an animal assisted intervention program at my high school. Because of this, I received firsthand experience helping lead others and seeing a change in the aura of my peers. Therefore, my educational and career goal is to ultimately work with others to offset the mental health stigma our society is facing. I hope to build meaningful relationships to better understand the world and for those to overcome emotional challenges. I will further my current knowledge of mental processes and find ways we can be proactive. A health-related degree will help achieve my goals. I will do this by finding new and innovative ways to study cognitive and behavioral processes. Making substantive contributions to basic knowledge in cognitive psychology such as studying mental processes, reasoning, perception, and how it impacts human behavior is a way I can contribute to society and help streamline the convoluted process of obtaining alternative treatment option for those struggling with mental health.

Mental health is as important as one’s physical health. Poor mental health in teenagers affects more than just grades, but social interactions, life goals, and behavior. Habits in adolescence can carry over to their young adult life, and even later in life. Besides medication, there are ways to be proactive instead of reactive to negate adverse mental health situations. High school students face many stressful events during the school year. From lock outs and lock downs, perimeter searches by security due to neighborhood gun violence, and active shooter alerts, trigger many students psychological being. Even exam weeks or before rival sporting events, can heighten one’s senses, leading to mental health concerns. Moreover, bullying and harassment in K-12, alongside hostile behaviors and other types of victimization can negatively affect students with short and long-term mental health and overall well-being. The human-animal bond is remarkable. Research shows the health benefits of animal-assisted intervention (AAI) includes reduction in depressive symptoms and loneliness, decreasing anxiety, and enhancing social interaction (Friedman & Krause-Parello, 2018). Canines, for example, can be unbiased, impartial, and affectionate. It’s that feeling of being appreciated and welcomed, regardless of race, age, gender, and/or sexual orientation. AAI can be an engaging intervention to both small and large groups and includes both short term and long term benefits. By coordinating with local pet agencies that focus on improving human health and mental well-being via canine therapy visits could help alleviate some of the challenges faced by high school students and the mental health crisis among them through nonpharmacological means. Organizations can contribute by being open to new ideas that may be unconventional, such as AAI. My hope is to have organizations provide varying methods to support the mental health needs of their employee to be able to contribute to a more supportive environment. After an incident in my school district with gun violence, I started to look at mental health from a different lens as it directly impacted me and my local community. I wanted to spread awareness and affect change regarding how mental health issues can be mended and advocate for social change surrounding the mental health stigma. With this I connected with my principal to see what sort of complementary alternative modalities we could bring to campus to support the mental health needs of students. This is what inspired me to create an animal assisted intervention program at my high school. I received firsthand experience helping lead others and seeing a change in the aura of my peers. Therefore, my educational and career goal is to ultimately work with others to offset the mental health stigma our society is facing. I hope to build meaningful relationships for those to overcome emotional challenges. I will further my current knowledge of mental processes and find ways we can be proactive. A health-related degree will help achieve my goals. I will do this by finding new and innovative ways to study cognitive and behavioral processes. Making substantive contributions to basic knowledge in cognitive psychology such as studying mental processes, reasoning, perception, and how it impacts human behavior is a way I can contribute to society.

The Center for Disease Control’s “Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Data Summary and Trends Report: 2011-2021” reported that in 2021, more than 4 in 10 U.S high school students felt persistently sad or hopeless and 1 in 5 seriously considered attempting suicide. Mental health is as important as one’s physical health. Poor mental health in teenagers affects more than just grades, but social interactions, life goals, and behavior. Habits in adolescence can carry over to their young adult life, and even later in life. Besides medication, there are ways to be proactive instead of reactive to negate adverse mental health situations. High school students face many stressful events during the school year. From lock outs and lock downs, perimeter searches by security due to neighborhood gun violence, and active shooter alerts, trigger many students psychological being. Even exam weeks or before rival sporting events, can heighten one’s senses, leading to mental health concerns. Moreover, bullying and harassment in K-12, alongside hostile behaviors and other types of victimization can negatively affect students with short and long-term mental health and overall well-being. The human-animal bond is remarkable. Research shows the health benefits of animal-assisted intervention (AAI) includes reduction in depressive symptoms and loneliness, decreasing anxiety, and enhancing social interaction (Friedman & Krause-Parello, 2018). Canines, for example, can be unbiased, impartial, and affectionate. It’s that feeling of being appreciated and welcomed, regardless of race, age, gender, and/or sexual orientation. AAI can be an engaging intervention to both small and large groups and includes both short term and long term benefits. By coordinating with local pet agencies that focus on improving human health and mental well-being via canine therapy visits could help alleviate some of the challenges faced by high school students and the mental health crisis among them through nonpharmacological means. After an incident in my school district with gun violence, I started to look at mental health from a different lens as it directly impacted me and my local community. I wanted to spread awareness and affect change regarding how mental health issues can be mended and advocate for social change surrounding the mental health stigma. With this I connected with my principal to see what sort of complementary alternative modalities we could bring to campus to support the mental health needs of students. This is what inspired me to create an animal assisted intervention program at my high school. Because of this, I received firsthand experience helping lead others and seeing a change in the aura of my peers. Therefore, my educational and career goal is to ultimately work with others to offset the mental health stigma our society is facing. I hope to build meaningful relationships for those to overcome emotional challenges. I will further my current knowledge of mental processes and find ways we can be proactive. A health-related degree will help achieve my goals. I will do this by finding new and innovative ways to study cognitive and behavioral processes. Making substantive contributions to basic knowledge in cognitive psychology such as studying mental processes, reasoning, perception, and how it impacts human behavior is a way I can contribute to society and help streamline the convoluted process of obtaining alternative treatment option for those struggling with mental health.