We are thrilled to share that Press Start’s first-ever CoLab High School Program was a huge success! Across the seven-week Program, nine groups of Ontario high school students and members of the educational community thoughtfully collaborated to bring their incredible ideas for positive change to life.
Participants received mentorship from a highly successful group of grant recipients from our annual CoLab Program and had the opportunity to learn from our inspiring keynote speaker, Anthony McLean. At the end of the Program, student participants and their group leaders submitted their incredible final ideas for grant funding. We are so excited to share that all nine participating groups received grant funding from a total pool of $29,000, which includes the OTIP Changemaker Grant of $25,000 from our partners and program co-sponsors, OTIP.
“I was interested in the CoLab High School Program because it seemed like a great opportunity to collaborate and work with others on meaningful projects, especially in areas like mental health. It seemed like a great way to help the community around me and it felt like a chance to make a difference while also learning from and collaborating with other schools.” – Student Participant
Mental Health Matters
Similar to our annual CoLab Program, the High School Program focuses on creating positive change in mental health. However, for this cohort, the focus is slightly adjusted to creating positive change in youth’s mental health, particularly in schools and youth-based communities.
“The students began the project with an interest in the project for their own personal reasons; however, they are now taking on a leadership role within the school to reach out and make connections with isolated students to help them build self-confidence and have a sense of belonging. They want to make a difference.” – Group Leader
Our mission is to address mental health from an early age from the perspective of youth to improve student well-being and pave the way for well-being into adulthood. To narrow the broad focus of mental health amongst youth, we curated three sub-focus areas for participating groups to ideate around. These sub-focus areas include de-stigmatizing mental health, building confidence and self-image, and creating safe spaces for connectedness. All participating groups selected at least one of these sub-focus areas on which their solution could be based.
The Power of Mentorship in Shaping Tomorrow’s Innovators
Our incredible CoLab High School Program mentors are key in guiding and leading our student participants and their group leaders. What’s unique about our High School Program’s mentors is that they are all highly successful grant recipients from our annual CoLab Program for young adults ages 18-29.
“I found mentorship a very valuable tool in helping build and develop my projects. I just really love the idea of giving back, just as my mentors have done for me in the past, to other youth in high schools who may be just starting their leadership journeys.” – Mentor
This experience allows our mentors to provide insight into how to make the most of Press Start’s tools and share key learnings as experienced mental health entrepreneurs. Throughout the Program’s three Co-Creation Sessions, our five mentors met with small groups of participants to provide expertise and insight into progressing through each ideation stage. In addition to leading these collaborative sessions, mentors offered two open-door drop-in sessions to answer participants’ questions throughout the Program and to ask mentors specific questions based on their own mental health entrepreneurial experience.
“This program has encouraged me to think creatively, refine my thoughts, and turn my abstract concepts into actionable plans through collaborating and feedback from wonderful mentors.” – Student Participant
Thank you so much to our wonderful mentors, Eileen, Alexander, Karen, Ilya, and Karima, for their invaluable leadership throughout the Program!
Anthony McLean: Inspiration Through Storytelling
Halfway through the Program, we had the pleasure of hearing from inspirational keynote speaker Anthony McLean. Anthony is known as a “master storyteller” who delivers lively, actionable presentations on mental health, diversity and inclusion, and their intersections.
We were blown away by Anthony’s humour, wisdom and relatability as he shared his story directly with students and group leaders. Following his presentation, students and group leaders had the opportunity to speak to Anthony and ask him questions about his journey to becoming a successful changemaker in the mental health space. We were so pleased to see the successful turnout of participants and the peers and staff members of participating schools. Thank you, Anthony, for sharing your incredibly inspiring and captivating story!
Recognizing Excellence: Congratulations to our 2024 Grant Recipients
Putting together a project proposal for grant funding in just 6 weeks is no easy feat. Through mentorship, collaboration and a strong drive to make a meaningful impact, student participants worked incredibly hard to put together highly innovative proposals.
“Our students were extremely excited to be able to do something that they were passionate about. To see them grow themselves throughout the process of the Program from shy grade nines to being the actual driving force of the project was absolutely amazing.” – Group Leader
We could not be prouder to introduce this year’s 2024 CoLab High School Program Grant Recipients.
Project Panther by Birchmount Park Collegiate Institute: Aims to lead awareness-building events to successfully establish student groups and host inclusive events that promote mental health and connectedness to create a sense of belonging amongst underrepresented students.
Wellness Student Centre by Lawrence Park: A technology and work-free zone that allows students to cultivate deeper connections with themselves and their peers. It ensures that students feel supported and can engage with their community in a meaningful and safe environment.
Unplugged by Manitoulin Secondary School: A series of events promoting good mental health and the importance of taking breaks from devices. Students will put their phones away at each event, and whoever can stay off their device for the whole period gets entered in a draw for prizes.
Un-Lock Your Potential by St. Catharines Collegiate: A makerspace initiative designed to support students by fostering creativity, confidence and social connections. The space will offer a range of tools and activities and address challenges of isolation, mental health, and lack of support across students facing socio-economic barriers.
Anxiety by Maxwell Heights Secondary School: A clothing brand that empowers youth to embrace mental health conversations confidently and openly. By creating stylish apparel with a purpose, they strive to build a supportive community and redefine anxiety as a shared, relatable experience.
Headspace Heros by Langstaff Secondary School: A series of wellness workshops for elementary-age students with an opportunity to teach coping and self-regulation tools that will help elementary school students with emotional regulation and mental health in adolescence and adulthood.
Stellar Styles by Etobicoke Collegiate Institute: A magazine and fashion show that aims to build confidence and resilience amongst students through fashion, self-expression, confidence, collaboration and design.
Paper Tree by Thornlea Secondary School: A digital community space and catalogue of mental health books aimed to combat mental illness’s stigma and provide resources for students to learn, connect and express themselves freely.
Walks for Wellness by Middlefield Collegiate Institute: An initiative that aims to enhance students’ and school staff’s physical, emotional and mental health by integrating nature into daily life. This includes field trips for nature immersion and Shinrin Yoku (forest bathing) and the creation of a school community garden.
“When I saw this opportunity, I thought, this is perfect. This is a call to bring opportunities to students for their development, to build their student voice and to advocate for themselves while building their identity and coming together. All while focusing on a super important area: youth mental health and wellness. This is such a great opportunity for students to connect and learn from each other and bring community into the classroom.” – Group Leader
Partner Spotlight: Celebrating OTIP’s Impact and Collaboration
We would like to extend a huge thank you to our program co-sponsors, OTIP, who not only collaborated with Press Start on this pilot program but also contributed $25,000 in grant funding through The OTIP Changemaker Grants. In addition to collaboration and grant funding, OTIP sponsored this year’s keynote guest speaker, Anthony McLean. Thank you, OTIP!
Pressing Start on Positive Change
As we wrap up Press Start’s inaugural CoLab High School Program, we are filled with immense pride and excitement for the future. The creativity, dedication, and passion demonstrated by our student participants and their group leaders have laid the groundwork for lasting, positive change in the mental health landscape of Ontario’s high schools. Each of the nine groups involved has contributed innovative ideas and shown immense growth as young leaders committed to improving their communities.
“I really feel that the work of the CoLab High School Program is a call to action, and I really hope that all the students, staff and schools involved understand that addressing student youth mental health and wellness is critical for all grades across all identity markers. I really celebrate all of the youth and staff who have dedicated their time to this.” – Group Leader
We are incredibly grateful to our partners at OTIP for their unwavering support in making this Program a reality. OTIP’s generosity and the invaluable mentorship provided by past grant recipients have played a pivotal role in guiding these students toward success. Furthermore, the inspiration shared by keynote speaker Anthony McLean has left a lasting impression on all who were fortunate enough to hear his story.
“My most valuable takeaway has been learning to work effectively in a team and realizing the power of diverse perspectives. It’s taught me how important collaboration is for solving complex problems such as mental health and turning these ideas into impactful projects.” – Student Participant
We look forward to seeing how these bright young minds continue to advocate for mental health awareness, foster inclusion, and build stronger, more connected communities. Congratulations to all who participated, and thank you for your dedication to making a meaningful difference in the lives of youth. The journey doesn’t end here — it’s only just beginning.
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