YOUNG VOICES DRIVE CHANGE: GRANADA HILLS CHARTER STUDENT, HANNAH LANGFORD, NAMED TO CREATIVE VISIONS' YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL

Diverse group of young leaders from around the nation will shape the #CreateConnectCare campaign, an initiative harnessing creative expression to promote mental health awareness and support among youth.

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Granada Hills Charter (GHC) senior, Hannah Langford, will lead mental health engagement activities and a community project in Granada Hills following the formation of Creative Visions' 2025 Mental Health Youth Advisory Council amid a growing youth mental health crisis across the United States. A diverse group of young leaders from around the nation will shape Creative Visions' #CreateConnectCare campaign, an initiative harnessing creative expression to promote mental health awareness and support among youth.

"Hannah exemplifies the leadership and dedication that define our students at Granada Hills Charter. Her commitment to mental health awareness and community engagement is truly inspiring, and we are incredibly proud to support her efforts through the #CreateConnectCare campaign. By leveraging creativity to address critical issues, Hannah is making a meaningful impact that will benefit both her peers and the broader community." – Brian Bauer, CEO/Superintendent of Granada Hills Charter

The #CreateConnectCare campaign, utilizing art, music, writing, and filmmaking, aims to raise awareness of mental health challenges and reduce stigma by fostering community connections and promoting self-care and peer support.

Recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data highlights the urgency and critical need for action:

• Over 20% of youth aged 13-18 experience a serious mental illness.
• More than 40% of high school students report persistent sadness or hopelessness.

The initiative from Creative Visions empowers youth through creativity. In partnership with Discovery Education and InnerView, #CreateConnectCare invites youth (ages 11-18) to share their stories through creative submissions by March 31, 2025.

"We are excited to welcome these passionate young leaders to help shape a campaign that resonates authentically with their peers," said Pat Chandler, CEO of Creative Visions.

The Youth Advisory Council includes: Hannah Langford (CA), Aryanna Lee (CA), Bryce Hunter (CO), Prishu Gaire (DE), Joyce Dushime (GA), Lillian Huang (IL), Violet Amberson (KS), Thyra Foronda (MI), Linda Barbara Stokes (MN), Vedhsai A Thiriveedi (NH), Ryan Crispino (NY), Ardisha Thawrani (OH), Harrison Cooper Green (OK), River Schoenfeldt (SC), Yaphet Yoseph (TX), Prakhya Koya (VA), and Anishmaadhav Jayapaul Premnaath (WI).

Mental health organizations, educators, and youth leaders are encouraged to support this initiative. Learn more at createconnectcare.org or contact Kathy Saulitis of Creative Visions at [email protected].

For interview requests with Hannah Langford or Granada Hills Charter administration, contact Jordan Duke at [email protected].

About Creative Visions
Creative Visions empowers impact-driven artists and storytellers to drive social change. A nonprofit and United Nations NGO, its Impact Education programs help youth, educators, and changemakers use media, arts, and technology for meaningful action. More at www.creativevisions.org.

About Granada Hills Charter
Named by the California Department of Education (CDE) as a California Distinguished School based on its outstanding student outcomes, Granada Hills Charter (GHC) is the largest public charter school in the nation. As an independent public charter serving students in grades TK-12, the School has a student enrollment of nearly 6,000 walking the breezeways on two sites, the Zelzah high school campus and the new Devonshire TK-8 campus. The School has an annual waitlist of 4,000+ hopeful students seeking the excellent and diverse curricular, extracurricular, and athletic opportunities of a vibrant comprehensive school. GHC's student population is one of the most diverse, with more than 40 languages spoken and over 60 nationalities represented, and 50% socioeconomically disadvantaged including foster youth. As a 501c3 non-profit benefit corporation, the School's Board Of Directors is the legal entity overseeing all school policy and its $92 million operating budget. GHC is ranked "#1 Best Public Elementary School in California," "#1 Best Charter Middle School in California" and "#1 Best Charter High School in Los Angeles County" by Niche.com in the 2021 Best Schools rankings.

SOURCE Granada Hills Charter