The Persevere Project

A mental health nonprofit developed by Kroeger brothers Ashton ’22 and Carter ’25 by Ashton Kroeger ’22

“Many teenagers lack the ability or are unwilling to talk to an adult when they suffer from depression, substance abuse, or other challenges and instead isolate themselves. With the goal of addressing this national mental health crisis among teens, my brother Carter and I created a way to reach hundreds of thousands of teens who have nowhere to turn.”

Ashton Kroeger ’22

With this project, it is our mission to create progress not only for ourselves but also for our broader community. Shaped by the obstacles my brother and I overcame in our childhood, we became passionate about reaching those who suffer in silence. Together, we created persevereproject.org 501(C)(3), an online platform for teens struggling with mental health issues. This teen-to-teen platform effectuates positive social awareness by encouraging healthy coping mechanisms and providing a direct communication button.

As teenagers ourselves, we understand and can relate to other teens. We have seen tremendous response and have daily interactions with those who rely on our platform to listen without judgment and provide a positive alternative to the pressures of social media. We expand our teen outreach daily. We have received hundreds of emails from teens all over the world who reach out to us to share their difficulties. Carter and I write back to each person to offer some support, guidance, and hope for the future. We also recently began writing and producing music dedicated to the challenges teens are facing in today’s world. We write, produce, and Carter performs our own original music. We see our path clearly, and our passion has never been stronger around expanding our outreach by helping bridge the gap for struggling teens who are unwilling to seek adult help.

On December 27, 2021, we were featured (and appeared live) on ABC’s Good Morning America, where we were interviewed regarding the work we are doing through our nonprofit. Knowing that the media exposure would enable our platform to reach millions of teens nationwide, we worked tirelessly with the producer to ensure the network had all the images and background information necessary for our segment to air. On February 15, 2022, we were featured guests on NBC’s The Kelly Clarkson Show, where we highlighted our advocacy efforts and The Persevere Project to a national audience. In addition to the honor of being featured guests, The Kelly Clarkson Show and NBC awarded The Persevere Project $5,000 toward our efforts. We were also honored personally on the show by Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, and on behalf of the State of Arizona, he presented us with The Distinguished

Service Award of Excellence.

Then on April 29, 2022, we were recognized at the notMYkid gala and received The Inspire Award for our continued advocacy for better mental health resources and for our work in keeping the lines of communication open with teens. Carter performed his original song, “Collapse”, in front of an audience of over 500 established community members, advocates for mental health, and board members of the national notMYkid organization.

As featured guests on CBS’s The Doctors on May 16, 2022, Carter was asked to perform his new original song, “Superpowers,” which we had both written and produced. The song is a tribute to all the teens who have reached out to us through our platform who struggle with their mental health. The lyrics we wrote highlight the importance of not giving up on life no matter the circumstances. “Superpowers” is available on all platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music, under ‘Carter Ryan’.

A life-long athlete, I have learned the importance of mindset and the incredible feats human beings can accomplish when they have a strong belief system. We are dedicated to highlighting the science of mind over matter and the importance of the mind-body connection to teenagers around the world through our platform, with the hope that they realize what they are truly capable of in life. n

Ashton Kroeger ’22 and Carter Kroeger ’25