For many students in Utah, the pressure to succeed academically, participate in extracurriculars and plan for the future feels overwhelming. Additionally, many of us face challenges at home, financial worries or social struggles. The result? More and more students experience stress, anxiety and depression — and often, we’re left to deal with it alone.
According to the CDC, nearly 1 in 3 high school students report experiencing poor mental health, and 4 in 10 say they feel persistently sad or hopeless.
Yet in too many schools, the resources we need are unavailable or stretched thin. Counselors are responsible for hundreds of students, making it impossible to provide meaningful support. Waiting weeks for an appointment or feeling like your concerns won’t be taken seriously discourage many from asking for help.
If schools want students to succeed, mental health can’t be treated as an afterthought. Every school should have enough counselors, social workers and safe spaces for students to reach out without stigma. Programs that teach coping strategies, encourage peer support and normalize conversations about mental health should be part of regular school culture.
Investing in mental health isn’t optional — it’s essential. Students can’t thrive in the classroom if they’re struggling silently. If we truly believe in preparing young people for the future, then we must also equip them with the support and resources to handle the present.
It’s time for our schools and leaders to listen to students: mental health matters, and we need help now.
Ellah Oeser
Lehi