By AMY ADAMS
news@readthereporter.com
As part of a series of back-to-school visits, First Lady of the United States Dr. Jill Biden and Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy visited Westfield High School on Wednesday to discuss the importance of prioritizing students’ mental health.
A few years ago, WHS student Zoe Milewski found out through social media about an organization called Robbie’s Hope which was founded by Kari and Jason Eckert in 2018 following the death of their 15-year-old son to suicide. The word HOPE stands for “Hold On Pain Ends.”
As there was no mental health club at WHS at that time, Eckert took the idea to her friends, Analiece Emigh and Nora Flickinger.
What began as three sophomores meeting together has grown into a club that, in its first meeting of this school year, welcomed 100 students.
Though the now international organization is headquartered in the Eckert’s home state of Colorado, Kari has previously spent time in Westfield, speaking at the Robbie’s Hope Gala. She came to Westfield on Wednesday to meet privately with Biden, Murthy, and about 20 members of the WHS Robbie’s Hope Club who welcomed the guests wearing lavender T-shirts that read “It’s OK to not be OK.”
Now seniors, Emigh, who is the club’s current president, Milewski, Flickinger, and Elyse Menzel gave a brief overview of how students involved in Robbie’s Hope at WHS are working to fulfill the mission of removing the stigma surrounding teens talking about mental health challenges.
“I think all of us here today have struggled personally or know someone who has struggled personally,” said Emigh.
Robbie’s Hope Foundation founder Kari Eckert joined WHS club sponsors, social worker Natalie Stewart and English teacher Kate Sosinski, at a private meeting with Dr. Biden and Dr. Murthy. (Photo by Rocks Media House)
Regular club meetings focus on building peer-to-peer relationships. In addition, the WHS chapter holds an annual Save A Life Walk in the fall and a gala in the spring. In 2022, the club’s first gala raised $14,000.
Last February, several student representatives from the club participated in a presentation and panel with WHS Director of Student Support and Counseling Services Kyle Miller at the Indiana School of Mental Health Initiative Educating the Whole Child Summit.
New this year, the club will work with WHS Dean of Wellness, Connections, and Growth Jake Gilbert to host a series of sessions focused on mental health for athletic team members. They also plan to dedicate a week to suicide awareness and to establish a scholarship through the Wellbeing Coalition of Westfield to provide funds for students who can’t afford the mental health care they need.
“What this club is doing is really amazing,” Dr. Biden said. “Know that your courage does not go unnoticed, and that’s why I’m here.”
Following the private meeting, Biden, Murthy, and Emigh joined a panel discussion with WHS school administrators that was open to select students, parents, WHS counselors, and WWS leadership.
A 30-year-educator herself, Biden asked the school to extend the invitation beyond students involved in Robbie’s Hope so that she could speak to and hear from approximately 80 students.
“In the stories I am hearing from you today, there is so much resilience,” Biden said. “In this school, you can feel that there is a sense that people can share their stories and get help.”
FLOTUS Dr. Jill Biden and Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy sit down with 20 members of the Robbie’s Hope Club at WHS. (Photo by Rocks Media House)
She further encouraged the students to share, publicly or through written notes, anything they thought she should know or should work on.
Senior John Wickam talked about how it needs to be normalized for teens to reach out to mental health professionals and adults who can help.
“It’s not our job to fix each other,” Wickham said. “I would rather protect your life than your secret. That is the goal.”
Other students spoke openly about social media promoting eating disorders, the unique struggles of queer teens, and how students need help learning to recognize and communicate their feelings.
“We are here because the youth mental health crisis in America represents a defining public health challenge of our time,” Murthy said.
In the state of Indiana, according to the CDC, suicide is the second leading cause of death for teens.
Murthy discussed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act passed in 2022 which allocated $1.7 billion to mental health care, including in schools. Westfield has benefited, receiving $400,000 from grants such as Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education) and Stronger Connections.
“What it will take to address the mental health situation in our country is nothing short of a movement,” Murthy said.
Robbie’s Hope provides that movement of teens across the U.S. who aim to cut teen suicide rates in half by the year 2028.
The students of Robbie’s Hope at Westfield High School want you to remember: “It’s OK to not be OK.” (Photo by Rocks Media House)
“We’re changing lives, and we have an impact not just in our school but in our community, and that means a lot to me,” Emigh said.
Her father, Peter Emigh, gave credit to school leaders and counselors who have helped turn “compassion into action.”
WHS Assistant Principal Kurt Frederick, who served as the panel moderator, joined WHS Principal Alicia Denniston, Westfield Education Foundation Executive Director Ashley Knott, and others in expressing their appreciation for having the first lady and surgeon general take time to visit Westfield.
“We tell our students all the time, ‘Your voice matters,’” Frederick said. “And this was the perfect opportunity to show them that.”
To find out more about Robbie’s Hope and to find resources such as the Teens and Technology Handbook or Robbie’s Hope Adult Handbook, visit RobbiesHope.com. For questions about local opportunities for involvement and support, email whsrobbieshope@gmail.com.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) provides support 24/7. You can also call or text 988.
“There’s one thing I want you to remember,” Dr. Biden said, her words echoing the Robbie’s Hope mantra, “It is OK not to be OK.”