All Hands in KC hosts event at Chicken n’ Pickle

Helping Hands for HUG IT OUT Seniors Emily Rine, Munachi Okuagu and Reilly Jackoboice embrace senior Helen Willis as she enters the fundraiser Nov. 3 at Chicken N Pickle. Mental Health LET’S TALK ABOUT IT Seniors Phoebe Mullen, Helen Willis and Caroline Ehren chat in line while they wait to purchase a ticket for All Hands in KC.

Local high school students raised thousands of dollars for illness. They discussed the stigma regarding mental health, and various ways better services in schools after seeing a need for change. to not only help others who may be struggling but to help oneself in the event of a mental health crisis. BY MAGGIE MCKINNEY “At the event they talked about how just breathing slowly, talking to REPORTER therapists, talking to an adult, just making sure a person knows they are not

Students, educators, and mental health advocates alike all gathered alone,” senior Reilly Jackoboice said. “It is so important and I think everyone Nov. 3 for the All Hands In KC fundraiser at Chicken N Pickle and raised needs to know that.” over $55,000 for local nonprofits that provide schools with mental health The event had 400 attendees and raised $55,000 dollars in total, resources. according to All Hands In KC founder Christian Taylor. Taylor, a senior at

The event’s goal was to address the stigma surrounding depression and Rockhurst High School, organized the event after he saw the effect of teenage anxiety in adolescents and to connect teenagers and suicide on his community and realized that something their parents to 25 local therapists and other resources. needed to be done. Focusing on the need to combat teenage suicide rates, FROM THE EVENT: “This was an issue that I felt wasn’t being addressed all money raised went toward charities that are based 400 correctly and wasn’t being addressed enough,” Taylor said. around providing mental health programming for attended the event “So I wanted to step in, as a teen, and make a difference.” high schools in the area, including Zero Reasons Why, The Harrison Rupp Foundation, and Speak Up KC. $55,000 raised for mental health Twenty-eight student representatives from 15 schools in the Kansas City area, including Rockhurst High School,

“This is a topic that is notorious for being swept St. Teresa’s Academy, St. Thomas Aquinas High School, under the rug,” senior Munachi Okuagu said. “And it and The Pembroke Hill School, volunteered with All was time for change and for people to speak up about this problem.” Hands In KC, including Okuagu and Jackoboice.

One ticket cost $10 and pickleball teams could sign up for $50, with the “Having kids from 15 different high schools just really made me sit proceeds going directly to the charity of their choice. Attendees were given a back and realize how big of a problem suicide is and how we as a group can ticket to participate in a raffle of their choice, with items such as a Patagonia do something about it,” Jackoboice said. “That was very special to me.” jacket, an all-expense paid trip to Colorado, and two tickets to the Truman The organizers and event as a whole emphasized the need to make a Amphitheatre for any show. Guests also had the opportunity to have a meal, positive change in the Kansas City community that would last, according to play yard games, and talk to various organizations about resources regarding Jackoboice. The speakers, student representatives, and attendees left the event teenage suicide prevention and mental health. with resources and tools to better address mental health and teenage suicide

“There were various guest speakers and experts on the topic of mental and make an impact in their schools. illness,” Okuagu said, “to give students and parents advice on how to deal with “I think this event was the first step of many,” Okuagu said. “Now that the it and how to recognize it early on.” glass ceiling has finally been shattered and people are starting to speak up, I

The speakers included therapists and parents affected by teenage mental know it won’t stop here.”

Senior Phoebe Mullen “One of the speakers emphasized that going to a therapist was important, but there are other steps that you can take before that.” Senior Caroline Ehren “So many people came out to support. A speaker even mentioned that she had never seen so much support at an event like this before.” Senior Reilly Jackoboice “Hearing from the speakers and getting their tips was great. I think it’s really important to be talking about this. Especially now.”