The first thing we “build” in this life is ourselves. From early childhood we are shaped by those around us, our life circumstances, and our experiences. I believe this investment in childhood development is crucial and needs to be taken a step further, especially when it comes to mental health. My passion for assisting our youth in better understanding their mental health began when I lost my dad at 15. Losing him at such a young age was devastating and in my grief I was met with so much confusion and isolation. Dealing with adverse childhood trauma and trying to grasp emotions is very complex for a child and without the proper support and education these feelings can impact them for the rest of their lives. I, myself, struggled with my emotions following his passing; however, it was not until I found support volunteering with The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention that I realized I could use my hurt to help others who felt the same way I did. My Dad passed from suicide and being able to better understand mental health through my countless hours of advocacy helped me heal, as well as lighting a fire within me to end the stigma surrounding mental health. Health is so openly talked about within our communities, however mental health can still be seen as taboo. I have learned that simple conversations can save lives and if we embrace the fact we all hurt at times we can build a space where we are not afraid to seek help. My goal for the future is to continue my advocacy and after obtaining my degree in psychology, I hope to work with children. In my work I want to destigmatize mental health and give our youth tools they can carry into adulthood so they are better equipped to cope with adversities. The generational ideology that mental health cannot be openly talked about is something we can change, but it starts with education from early on. Not only will this better our communities, but it will better how we feel. We can be so caught up in all the aspects of life, but I think the most important aspect we overlook is simply our happiness. Mental health is crucial to live a happier life and the more comfortable we are to express when we need someone to talk to the better the mental health epidemic will be. I plan to finish my education and pursue a career where I can continue to build a world where we can see one another and know we are not alone. Every step I have taken whether that be my volunteer work, social media advocacy, having honest conversations with members of my community and so much more is a step in the right direction. It has been a privilege to be able to turn my loss into a story that has helped so many. Thank you for your time and consideration.

I never fully understood mental health until I was a 15-year-old girl hysterical on her floor after learning her dad had taken his life. My dad fought my whole life battling substance addiction, and no matter how young I was or little I understood, I fought right beside him. I did everything I could to check in on him, motivate him, and to be the perfect daughter that he would want to get clean for. After years of tears, fights, laughter, and love, I lost him. My dad was not only my dad, but he felt like my purpose. I spent so long focused on how to help him that this outcome was unfathomable. I lost the once bright and hopeful girl I had been as I spiraled thinking what more could I have done. I layed in bed every night begging him to come back, praying I could get one more chance to convince him to stay. This went on for weeks and I did not understand the grief I was going through, I could not comprehend what had happened and I felt so alone. A couple months after his passing, my mom took me to a Survivors Day event hosted by our local chapter of The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention(AFSP). I sat in a room with ten or so other survivors who shared stories of their loved ones who also passed by suicide. I sat and watched them all say memories, both good and bad through tears. They spoke like they never had the opportunity to say these words before, likely due to the stigma surrounding suicide.I listened intently and I began to shift my hurt from myself to feeling hurt for others. I knew what they had gone through and I wanted them to know they are not alone. I hoped to somehow be able to ease their pain but I did not know how to do so. I sat with these feelings until the end of the meeting when our chapter director, Shannon, mentioned they had a community tabling event later that day that they needed an extra volunteer for. Without hesitation I asked my mom if I could help, and thats where my story began again. For the past few years I have volunteered at several events with AFSP, going out into our community to educate, organize events, and most importantly to listen.Every story, every interaction, and every silent donation and a soft thank you lit the fire within me to do more. I felt so lost after my dad passed and I have realized that I can use my voice to ensure others never feel the way I once did. I am continuing my passion for mental health advocacy as I pursue my degree in psychology at James Madison University. I plan to work with adolescents to understand trauma and their own mental health so that when they transition into adulthood they are equipped to find help and make healthy life choices. I believe that educating our youth is a very important thing we do not do enough. I hope to also work to publish research and go into schools to create programs for students to learn not only how to take care of their own mental health but how to help others they think may be struggling. Thank you for your time and consideration. Mental health is a very important topic to me and so many others, and this scholarship would greatly help me on my journey to make a difference.

My journey with mental health and the reality of substance abuse began since the day I was born. My Dad my whole life suffered from addiction and was constantly in a cycle of rehabilitation and relapse. This is very confusing as a child, however as his only kid I took on the responsibility of helping him through it. For years I fought with and for him. It was not easy, I was barely old enough to even understand what drugs were and yet I walked with him everyday through the good and bad times. Looking back I admit I feel a loss of my childhood because I grew up very quickly in my attempts to save him, but I also would not have changed anything because when he was sober he was my best friend. Regardless of my efforts to save him, February 23rd 2021 I was told that he had taken his life. That day was when my fight shifted, from saving him to saving myself. I was only 15 and losing him left a pain in my heart I thought would never go away. I lost my purpose, I felt as though I had failed him and to be honest I did not want to be in a world without him. I was full of so many emotions I did not know how to process but the biggest one of all was sadness. Now, as a 20 year old college student, I still struggle with my mental health. There are days I can't do anything but cry, days I can only lay in bed and beg him to come back. Days I hate myself for not doing one more thing that may have saved him. But I discovered a new fight. To heal. As I reflect on my exposure to drugs and mental health as well as my own struggles I realized that I needed someone to help me. I needed someone to tell me I wasn't alone and they had also gone through something similar to my experiences. Being so young I had no peers who openly shared they also had a close family member who fought addiction, nor that they had lost someone to suicide. That isolation lit a fire in me to help someone else feel less alone. It was that new found purpose that allowed me to begin volunteering with the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention(AFSP). For the past 4 years I have been an advocate for mental health and have been given the opportunity to use my hurt and turn it into a story that has helps others. From tabling community events, planning our annual awareness walk, and advocating online I have been able to go out and help others the way I had hoped to be helped myself. Working with AFSP has been a huge part of my own mental health recovery, as being able to speak with people who need guidance or simply just a listening ear has made me realize the advice I give them I must accept myself. I have heard hundreds of powerful stories and made so many great connections over the years and with each one I have found joy in helping others and getting to do so in my Dad’s memory. I have grown a lot in the past five years since my Dad’s passing, and even since before when I was face to face with watching a loved one fight addiction. Even though my healing will always be a process and my own mental health will always be something I continue to battle with, I have learned its a fight I can win. I am currently a sophomore at James Madison University and also a D1 athlete on the JMU Dukettes Dance Team. I get to pursue my education in psychology while doing a sport that helps me express my emotions artistically. With my degree I plan to become a child psychologist and continue my work with mental health advocacy. I want to help our youth navigate their emotions and ensure they build healthy habits so that when they transition to adulthood they do not fall down the wrong paths. I have big plans for the future, but my biggest one of all is never giving up on myself. I know that losing my Dad and my mental health struggles may always be a source of sadness, but I hold onto the good memories and all I wish to do one day. I have accepted that even though today may hurt, tomorrow needs me. I will forever advocate that message to myself and those in need.

My name is Lily Sanford and I am proud to be a “You Got It Girl”. I am a current sophomore at James Madison University and I am on the D1A National Award Winning Dukettes Dance Team. I have danced ever since I was 7 and I am a huge advocate for how dance is a sport and that every dancer deserves recognition. Dance takes immense athleticism and discipline, and it has made me who I am today. I have received numerous awards, recognitions, and scholarships over the past 12 years, but by far the biggest accomplishment during my athletic career was making my collegiate dance team. I looked up to the JMU Dukettes Dance Team for years and being able to join the family and represent my university at games, travel and community events, and at the national level means so much to me. The values YGIG promotes align greatly with me as I think resilience and the ability to overcome obstacles is so important to all female athletes. I, myself, had a set back that impacted not only my love for my sport but also my whole world. In 2021 I lost my Dad, and for 15 year old me this was more than heart breaking. My Dad was my best friend and losing him felt so isolating. I began losing interest in things I once loved, primarily dance. Dance was once my escape from reality and after the passing of my Dad I still felt hurt even when dancing. But I began to realize that I was not alone. So many other girls were going through hardship just like me and we didn't deserve to give up on our dreams. I started volunteering with the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention to get out in my community and help others dealing with the loses of loved ones, and helping them made me realize I needed to keep going in the same way I encouraged them to. I kept training and flourished as an athlete. I put in even more hours and bettered myself every day. I embraced the emotions and channeled them through my dancing, telling stories on stage that resonated with the audience and because of that I was able to raise awareness through my artform as well as my volunteer work. My favorite and most recent advocacy was wearing Suicide Prevention Ribbons with my team on the field at a James Madison University home football game. My teammates and coach are my biggest supporters and I am so grateful they believe in me and my cause. I posted on social media about our ribbons and received an overwhelming amount of messages saying my work breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health helped them to seek help and start conversations. Dance is such a heartfelt and powerful art form and sport and I hope to continue showing all dancers we can truly accomplish anything through our movement and our voices. Throughout my dance career someone I have looked up to is my mom. My mom has always invested in my dance and educational career. After losing my dad we have struggled financially but she has never let it get in the way of my dreams. She has taught me the value of hard work and how to stand up for what I believe in. From driving me to dance practices for years, being my shoulder to cry on, never missing a performance, motivating me to be my best, and every moment in between I would not be where I am today as an athlete or as a person without her. I truly love the YGIG program and everything it stands for, and receiving this scholarship would help me immensely. As I mentioned, after the loss of my dad paying for college has been very hard for myself and my family to manage. The scholarship would be put towards paying my tuition and keeping me here at James Madison University and allow me to continue my time on the Dukettes Dance Team. Receiving an education while pursuing my love for my sport is by far the greatest blessing. I am working towards getting a Bachelors degree in psychology. I plan on pursuing a career where I can help others understand their mental health and potentially being a therapist to children navigating obstacles the same way I did at a young age. I also know dance will forever be in my life so I hope to continue educating young dancers and share my love of dance with them. I will forever be proud to consider myself a YGIG and hope every dancer knows we are all athletes and have so much potential to make a mark on the world through our sport. Thank you for your time and consideration!

From very early on I was told how mature for my age I was. “An old soul”, I would hear frequently as I tried so hard to always be viewed as smart and strong by everyone around me. I prided myself on these traits and decided I would simply always portray myself this way. However that plan did not hold up the way I hoped it would. On Febuary 23, 2021 I was told my Dad had passed away from suicide. In that moment I felt every bit of strength, work ethic, and hope leave me. Writing this now I can still feel the numbness that overcame 15 year old me. Suicide was not talked about in my peer group, nor had I really ever learned anything regarding it, so I fell into a period of immense loneliness. I was left alone to wonder where I failed. I thought for so long that my perfect fascade of maturity and strength, good grades, and success would help my Dad through his hardship. My Dad had suffered from drug addiction on and off the entirety of my life. I was always by his side through the draining cycle of him quitting and returning to his normal self and then relapsing, hurting both of us. Every relapse would make me work harder. I did everything in my power to be good enough of a daughter for him to want to be better for our relationship, but I failed. He was gone. I continued my day to day, but I no longer felt strong and “mature”. I fought to keep my good grades but I often felt it was all for nothing. I felt so alone and embarrassed of how my own Dad had left me, causing me to feel not good enough for anyone to ever really stay. Although I had lost much of who I was, the one thing I didn’t lose was the love for my Dad and wanting to remember him. After researching with my Mom, we found The American Foundation For Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and signed me up to be a team captain for the annual Greater Fredericksburg Out of The Darkness Community Walk. At my first meeting I was quite, still very new to openly discussing my loss due to the stigma surrounding suicide. However at the end of the meeting, once we were informed a volunteer position had opened up at their tabling event that afternoon, I spoke up saying I wanted to help. From that day forward I have tabled several events with AFSP, educating our communities on the reality of mental health and how to help themselves and/or loved ones battling suicide. I am also on the event planning comittee for the community walk, helping to make this event special for the families coming to honor their lost loved ones. I am proud to say I have refound myself, aswell as a new purpose to end the stigma surrounding suicide, ensuring other survivors like me never have to feel alone. I would be lying if I said there weren't still hard days. Sometimes I still doubt if those I love will actually stay and find myself questioning if I am good enough. But I am growing each day, proud of where I am and how much stronger I am now than I ever was before. I know I will always advocate for those in need of help facing their greatest challenges, and I am proud to do so not only for myself but also in the memory of my Dad.

When I was seven my mom put me in dance classes unaware of the life time passion she was intoducing me to. Dance has always been such a large part of who I am, but after losing my Dad in 2021 it became my outlet to express the emotions I felt as though I couldnt say with words. Three days after losing him I wanted to go back to dance, I was still so hurt and experiencing so many emotions I hadnt felt before, but what I did know was that I wanted to go back to where I felt most at home. It was so hard at first being only 15 and trying to be strong after I felt my world had stopped, but I knew the last thing my Dad would want was for me to give up on what I loved. I knew that continuing was my way of honoring him and showing him I would be okay. I, now 18, have continued my dance training and gained even more love for the performing art of dance. Everytime i’m dancing I am telling a story and using my ability and technique to portray what I am feeling to the audience. My lyrical solo performances over the years have by far meant the most to me. Every year, I choose a new aspect of my life I am not able to express through words and I am able to tell it through my movements. Dance has given me a voice and built my confidence tremendously. Without it I would not be half the person I am today, nor as strong as I am now after the passing of my Dad. In the fall I am attending a four year university, where I am planning to be on the university's dance team/ dance company. I also was offered a position over the summer to travel the U.S. and use my dance knowledge to educate younger dancers. I am extremely grateful for these oppurtunities/ future goals as I want to show as many dancers as I can that dance is an incredible outlet for self growth. I want to help them reach their goals and serve as a positive rolemodel for them as they navigate their paths in the world of dance. This scholarship would help me tremendously by funding my education, giving me the time and funds needed towards building a life for myself where I can continue my passion for dance. I want to show everyone that dance is so much more than just an art. It is a place where we can be ourselves and accept one another, aswell as ourselves. Thank you so much for your consideration and listening to my story surrounding my love for the art of dance.

On Febuary 23, 2021 my world changed forever. I had just done a day of virtual learning and was preparing to film an audition for a photography group. My mom asked for me to come out of the bathroom when I was done showering and when I did I was met with my grandmother, mom, and step dad sitting on the stairs. As soon as they looked up at me from the railing I knew something had happened. I was told my dad had taken his life. Writing this now I can still feel the pain in my heart, as that day I truly believe my heart broke a little. To better understand my story, I will give a closer look into my relationship with my dad. My dad suffered from addiction. I was unaware of the reality of the drugs he took, as I only thought he drank. He tried his best to hide it from me but I could sometimes see him stumble around, and occasionally drift off to sleep. This is very upsetting as eventually our phone calls that meant so much to me became few and further between as he would not answer as much, and I didn’t understand his behaviors at times. He raised me to stand up for myself so I would demand he stop drinking, but I didn’t understand that it was a lot more than simply not buying alcohol. Our relationship took a large strain as I began going over to see him less and less. After losing my dad I learned of his drug addiction and I was at a loss for words. I didn’t know he was suffering so much. I spent countless hours overcome with guilt, how could I not have had more remorse for his situation, why had I been so mad at him for something he was trying to quit. I had a long period of this guilt weighing on me, until one day I realized it was not my fault. My dad went through periods of sobriety, but at the end of the day he could not let go of his bad habits. Some days I still feel the anger of knowing he never fully stopped for me, but sometimes we can't win over the things that control us. After a year of grief I knew I wanted to take action, I didn’t want to sit and let my loss define me. My mom talked to me about being a team captain for The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) Greater Fredricksburg Walk. After my first meeting I was informed of an open volunteering position and I knew this was something I wanted to do. Ever since that day I have continued my advocacy with AFSP, educating my community on how to help those struggling with mental health. I use my story to give others hope that we can overcome our hardest days and that there is an entire community behind them. I miss my dad immensely and would do anything to have him back, but that is unfortunately not possible. What is possible though is continuing to help end the stigma surrounding mental health to hopefully save another 15 year old girl from losing their dad.

On February 23, 2021 my world changed forever. I had just finished a day of virtual learning and was preparing to film an audition for a photography group. My mom asked for me to come out of the bathroom when I was done showering and when I did I was met with my grandmother, mom, and step dad sitting on the stairs. As soon as they looked up at me from the railing I knew something had happened. I was told my dad had taken his life. Writing this now I can still feel the pain in my heart, as that day I truly believe my heart broke a little. To better understand my story, I will give a closer look into my relationship with my dad. My dad suffered from addiction, resulting in my parent’s divorce when I was four. I was unaware of the substances my dad took, as up until he passed I was under the impression he was only addicted to alcohol. My dad’s addiction was far from the normal narrative, as my dad was and still is one of the smartest people I know. His intelligence was remarkable and paired perfectly with his witty humor. Him and I were two peas in a pod, as I could not settle being second to him in any way. I would always challenge his remarks and play chess, game after game, to try and beat him. We would talk for hours on the phone when I was not staying at his house discussing the newest movie plots and documentaries. However, our relationship was far from perfect. Although I was protected from his drug use, I would often see him acting, as I would call it, “messed up”. He would sometimes have slurred words and grow frustrated with me. He raised me to stand up for myself and I would argue with him asking why he was drinking. Because of my anger towards his actions, I began going over to see him less and less. I was very busy with school and extracurriculars so our relationship was primarily over the phone, but even in our worst times my dad always helped me more than I can even put in words. I have always been a chronic perfectionist. It has gotten much better as I have aged and began accepting my flaws, but as a young girl I became obsessed with achieving the best grades and most importantly trying to be a daughter good enough that would make my dad want to get better for me. I was so succumbed by anxiety of being viewed as not good enough I never expressed these thoughts. However there was one person I would tell, my dad. I opened up to him about how I didn’t feel good enough and how I was so scared of being a failure I would lose sleep. It is silly, but sometimes those conversations really felt like we were so alike, as we both struggled with our own tribulations. At the end of the day we could freely talk about them together without fear of judgment. Losing him was more than losing my dad, it was losing one of my best friends. Our relationship was very complicated at times, but at the end of the day he understood me and I understood him. I spent days wondering where I went wrong, what I could have done to save him. I struggled trying to maintain my grades and life I had worked so hard to build without him. I was lost. But just as unfair my situation is, I knew I wanted to make something out of it, I needed to honor him and find a way to cope. That is when I found The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. My mom and I registered a walk team in memory of my dad for the Greater Fredericksburg Out of the Darkness Community Walk. After attending our first captain meeting we were informed of an open volunteer position at a local baseball game that night. I raised my hand and next thing you know I am entering my third season as a volunteer, selected as a head greeter, have been a two time team captain, and just completed my first year of being an event planning member. I've learned so much about the reality of mental health and that no one suffering with their own battles, nor anyone grieving the loss of a loved one is alone. I have tabled numerous events talking to my community about the stigma surrounding suicide and how having a conversation is the first step to helping so many in the dark. I can proudly say I am no longer lost. I found myself again and an entire community to stand with. Losing my dad was the worst thing I have ever gone through and I would do anything to reverse time to get him back, but the reality is I cannot. What I can do though is honor his memory and fight to help those feeling the same way he did. I value life so much more now and see that I am never alone. I will continue to further my mental health education in college, achieving my Bachelor of Science in Psychology, and promise to always advocate for mental health. This scholarship will greatly assist my goals and allow me to take the next step in my mission of saving those in need of help. I am not sure if the heartbreak will ever end, as I will miss my dad for the rest of my life, but I know everytime I volunteer he is with me, and every chess game he is giggling at how I don’t always make the most strategic moves. Regardless of the situation, my dad lives on and I will always carry him in my heart as I work to give those struggling with their mental health the hope to stay.

On February 23, 2021 my world changed forever. I had just finished a day of virtual learning and was preparing to film an audition for a photography group. My mom asked for me to come out of the bathroom when I was done showering and when I did I was met with my grandmother, mom, and step dad sitting on the stairs. As soon as they looked up at me from the railing I knew something had happened. I was told my dad had taken his life. Writing this now I can still feel the pain in my heart, as that day I truly believe my heart broke a little. To better understand my story, I will give a closer look into my relationship with my dad. My dad suffered from addiction, resulting in my parent’s divorce when I was four. I was unaware of the substances my dad took, as up until he passed I was under the impression he was only addicted to alcohol. My dad’s addiction was far from the normal narrative, as my dad was and still is one of the smartest people I know. His intelligence was remarkable and paired perfectly with his witty humor. Him and I were two peas in a pod, as I could not settle being second to him in any way. I would always challenge his remarks and play chess, game after game, to try and beat him. We would talk for hours on the phone when I was not staying at his house discussing the newest movie plots and documentaries. However, our relationship was far from perfect. Although I was protected from his drug use, I would often see him acting, as I would call it, “messed up”. He would sometimes have slurred words and grow frustrated with me. He raised me to stand up for myself and I would argue with him asking why he was drinking. Because of my anger towards his actions, I began going over to see him less and less. I was very busy with school and extracurriculars so our relationship was primarily over the phone, but even in our worst times my dad always helped me more than I can even put in words. I have always been a chronic perfectionist. It has gotten much better as I have aged and began accepting my flaws, but as a young girl I became obsessed with achieving the best grades and most importantly trying to be a daughter good enough that would make my dad want to get better for me. I was so succumbed by anxiety of being viewed as not good enough I never expressed these thoughts. However there was one person I would tell, my dad. I opened up to him about how I didn’t feel good enough and how I was so scared of being a failure I would lose sleep. It is silly, but sometimes those conversations really felt like we were so alike, as we both struggled with our own tribulations. At the end of the day we could freely talk about them together without fear of judgment. Losing him was more than losing my dad, it was losing one of my best friends. Our relationship was very complicated at times, but at the end of the day he understood me and I understood him. I spent days wondering where I went wrong, what I could have done to save him. I struggled trying to maintain my grades and life I had worked so hard to build without him. I was lost. But just as unfair my situation is, I knew I wanted to make something out of it, I needed to honor him and find a way to cope. That is when I found The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. My mom and I registered a walk team in memory of my dad for the Greater Fredericksburg Out of the Darkness Community Walk. After attending our first captain meeting we were informed of an open volunteer position at a local baseball game that night. I raised my hand and next thing you know I am entering my third season as a volunteer, selected as a head greeter, have been a two time team captain, and just completed my first year of being an event planning member. I've learned so much about the reality of mental health and that no one suffering with their own battles, nor anyone grieving the loss of a loved one is alone. I have tabled numerous events talking to my community about the stigma surrounding suicide and how having a conversation is the first step to helping so many in the dark. I can proudly say I am no longer lost. I found myself again and an entire community to stand with. Losing my dad was the worst thing I have ever gone through and I would do anything to reverse time to get him back, but the reality is I cannot. What I can do though is honor his memory and fight to help those feeling the same way he did. I value life so much more now and see that I am never alone. I will continue to further my mental health education in college, achieving my Bachelor of Science in Psychology, and promise to always advocate for mental health. This scholarship will greatly assist my goals and allow me to take the next step in my mission of saving those in need of help. I am not sure if the heartbreak will ever end, as I will miss my dad for the rest of my life, but I know everytime I volunteer he is with me, and every chess game he is giggling at how I don’t always make the most strategic moves. Regardless of the situation, my dad lives on and I will always carry him in my heart as I work to give those struggling with their mental health the hope to stay.