“Our film highlights a unique spot at Buena Park High School. It’s more than just a room, it’s where we go when things get tough. Here, you’re never just another face in the crowd – you’re greeted, heard, and supported. It’s about the everyday reassurance that we’re not alone in this.”
“A broken heart after a first love as an adolescent can be difficult for many. Adolescents experience a great deal of emotions and at times, don’t know how to manage them. They need to be reminded that they are not alone in this.”
“The comic is about how helping someone can change a person’s life. It can also save someone from [taking their life] or help them with their mental health. The comic also shows how a helping hand can be the light to a person’s darkness – eventually, they could even become somebody else’s light.”
“You can share something beautiful inside of you with others.”
“Someone who needs help should get it, even if they won’t ask for it themselves. Something as simple as showing that you care can change a million things. I want people to know how their words can have a huge impact on others. Good or bad, your words can affect someone, sometimes a lot more than you think.”
“If you notice that a friend is sad, you should talk to them. It’s okay if you don’t always know what to say; most of the time, people just need someone to listen to them.”
“An anchor doesn’t have to be one thing, and it doesn’t have to be one hundred. Anchors are whatever you want them to be as long as you feel they’re helping you be the best version of yourself you can be.”
“During times of stress, I find myself either wanting to be active or make any form of art […] I made my entry to share what my anchors are and hopefully inspire others to find their anchors as well. […] Now that I know what my main anchors are, I can go to them whenever I need to. It makes me feel organized and prepared knowing that I can always go do these things and come back feeling better.”
“We choice this category to spread awareness to those who need it.”
“When I wrote this piece, I wanted it to capture the concept that things will get better as time goes on. It goes back to the ‘hope’ aspect of Directing Change, and I wanted it to show that while so many people are struggling with mental health, or other issues, that there is always another reason to stay here. In this piece, it shows a young girl who had been planning on attempting suicide, but found help, and got better. I related it back to hope, showing there will always be a light at the end of the tunnel, if you choose to follow it.”