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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Soleidy M., Student from Global Learning Collaborative on Mental Health Services in Schools
7:13:56
ยท
148 sec
Soleidy N,, a 14-year-old freshman from Global Learning Collaborative, testified about the importance of increasing mental health services in schools. She shared her personal experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic and emphasized the growing mental health crisis among young people.
- Participated in a community-based civics project through Generation Citizen, focusing on improving access to mental health providers in schools
- Described the challenges of balancing school, family, and personal struggles, particularly during and after the COVID-19 pandemic
- Called on the NYC City Council to maintain funding for mental health services in schools to provide students with safe spaces to talk, get help, and learn coping skills
Soleidy M.
7:13:56
Testing.
7:13:57
Thank you for the opportunity to testify at today's hearing.
7:14:00
My name is Soleidy Mate and I am a freshman, I'm a 14 year old freshman at the Global Learning Collaborative on the Upper West Side Of Manhattan.
7:14:08
This semester I've been participating in a community based civics project through generation citizen.
7:14:14
For this project my class discussed various issues impacting our community and build consciousness around one topic to address collectively.
7:14:23
After thoughtful discussion and debate, we decided to focus on improving access to mental health providers and set a goal to increase the availability of school based mental health services so that students can receive the support they may need.
7:14:38
As a teenager, I've experienced how challenging it can be to balance school, family, and personal struggles.
7:14:43
When I feel alone in these matters, I feel more distanced from my goals.
7:14:47
Those are inspirations that inspire me each day and instill hope for a brighter future.
7:14:53
It's isolation and pressure to maintain social relationships, excel academically, and handle responsibilities.
7:15:00
During my fourth grade year when COVID nineteen struck, the impact of my mental health and educational development was profound.
7:15:08
The sudden transition from daily in person interactions with classmates and teachers felt isolating.
7:15:14
The routine of school life disappeared leading to a repetitive cycle that reduced my motivation.
7:15:19
The effects of the period are still present, emphasizing the need for schools to prioritize more accessible mental health resources at school.
7:15:29
Thus, COVID nineteen pandemic had an immense disruption on my education, arguably like unlike anything that has ever been seen before in world history.
7:15:40
Now we're facing a growing mental health crisis among young people because issues stemming from the pandemic have yet to be truly dealt with in our schools.
7:15:49
Example, many students do not have someone in their lives whom they can turn to, leaving many to feel hopeless and alone.
7:15:55
As a result, they gravitate to isolating themselves on their cell phones.
7:16:01
Something that can for sure help with this is more mental health providers in our schools.
7:16:06
Therefore, I'm asking the NYC City Council to knock out mental health services at school from the budget to ensure that students like me have a safe space to talk, help, and learn how to cope with life's challenges.
7:16:22
Thank you so much for allowing me to testify today.