Celebrate Youth Mental Wellness with Art, Data & Fun

June 21, 2024

SPRINGFIELD, MA — Join us for a FREE celebration of youth mental wellness on Friday, June 21st, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. This youth-led event, hosted by Beat the Odds (BTO) youth advisory group to the Springfield Youth Mental Health Coalition (YMHC), is designed to raise awareness about mental health, problem gambling and self-care strategies; celebrate the healthy ways our young people manage their mental well-being; and connect youth and the community to valuable mental health resources. 


Several organizations will be tabling, including Gandara’s Impact Center and the Stop Access Coalition. Youth from Queen’s Narrative and Gandara’s photoVOICE project will share artwork and Beat the Odds youth will showcase creative data visualizations of the Springfield Public School District 2023 Youth Health Survey. 


“Art is a great outlet to express youth mental wellness and to understand public health issues that may be otherwise hard to digest,” said Tiffany Rufino, Youth Mental Health Coalition Manager at the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts. “We hope this event encourages our young people to make healthy choices by providing resources and information in a fun, interactive way.” 

Schedule 

  • 5:00 PM - Registration
  • 5:30 PM - Data Walk: Explore data visualizations of the 2023 Springfield Youth Health Survey created by BTO youth
  • 6:15 PM - Dinner 
  • 6:30 PM - Presentations & Performance (Will include representatives from the Mayor's Office & MA DPH Office of Problem Gambling Services, original song performed by BTO member, and awards). 
  • 7:30 PM - Celebration Activities (unstructured time for games, music, and fun) 
  • 8:00 PM - Closing Remarks 


We hope to see you there! Register now!

A poster for a youth mental health celebration on june 21 , 2024

share this

Related Articles

Upcoming Webinar Sept 26 About Vaping & Nicotine Pouches

September 12, 2025
Vaping & Nicotine Pouches: Understanding the New Landscape Date: Friday, September 26, 2026 Time: 12:00 - 1:00 pm Join us for an informative webinar as we explore the evolving landscape of tobacco and nicotine use, with a special focus on vaping and nicotine pouches like Zyns. This session will offer a high-level overview of emerging products, usage trends, and potential mitigation strategies—especially relevant for youth, families, community-based organizations (CBOs), and municipalities. Featured Speakers: Dr. Nicole Porther, Chair of the Department of Health Professions, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Heather Warner, MPH, Hampshire Franklin Tobacco-Free Community Partnership Coordinator, Collaborative for Educational Services Moderator: Jessica Collins, Executive Director, Public Health Institute of Western MA

New Report! Rural Realities: Financial insecurity and health inequities in our rural communities

September 10, 2025
Check out our new report, Rural Realities: Financial insecurity and health inequities in our rural communities—insights from the 2023 Community Health Equity Survey - Western MA and Statewide . We created this report as part of our work as a Regional Data to Action Provider for the Community Health Equity Initiative . Rural communities have unique needs. It is important to understand how inequities and challenges manifest in rural areas in our Western MA region to support action based on assets and unique needs.

The Many Steps to Getting a Question on MA’s Statewide Ballot

August 19, 2025
2025-26 Ballot Question Timeline Initiative Petition for a Law