Student Voices
In February, the University of Montana State of Mind team spent a week working with students at Malta High School. State of Mind is a program designed to engage communities in meaningful conversations about mental health, raise awareness, highlight available resources, and help identify areas where communities can continue to grow and support one another.
During their time in Malta, the team facilitated workshops with students to talk about our community—its strengths, its challenges, and the opportunities we have to make it even better for everyone who lives here.
Students were given prompts and time to reflect, discuss, and share their perspectives on their experiences in Malta. The thoughts that follow were written by the young people of our community—the students who live, learn, and grow here every day—and their words offer an honest look at how they see and experience the community around them.
Their perspectives are important, and their voices deserve to be heard. While these conversations began in a school setting, the topics they raise belong to the entire community.
We share their words not simply as a school exercise, but as an invitation for the entire community to listen. The topics they raise are not only school issues—they are community issues, and their perspectives deserve thoughtful consideration from all of us.
Here are their words…
We the young people of this community, in order to know we live in a safe, healthy and welcoming place, need the following:
We need to hear adults saying…
· We’re proud of you.
· Its ok to make mistakes- we still support you.
· I want to understand you.
· We love you.
· Perfect isn’t everything.
· Discipline is important- don’t be afraid of working hard.
· We need to hear adults saying what we’re doing well,
· and not just what we need to fix.
· We need to hear adults saying- less.
· Say less- don’t meddle.
· Say less- don’t be negative.
· We need them to say-
How can I help? What do you need? We see you.
Young people need to be able to ask…
· for support and love.
· to not be judged.
· for what we need.
· We need to be able to ask-
o How do decisions in our community get made, and,
o what makes one activity (like, sports) more important than another?
· We need to be able to ask-
o adults for advice without getting a lecture.
o adults for support without them trying to fix us.
o adults for help without the whole town knowing.
· We need to be able to ask questions, without embarrassment and without fear of consequence.
Young people need to believe that if we need help or support…
· people will be there for us.
· the community will back us up.
· people will listen.
· we’ll have access to resources.
· We need to believe that you will engrave wisdom into our brains.
· That we can talk to a trusted adult.
· that what we ask will stay private.
· We need to believe that people will show up- just show up.
We need young people watching out for each other by...
· Asking for help.
· noticing concerning behaviors and reaching out;
· choosing empathy in a world of hurtful words;
· not making assumptions.
· We need to lift each other up and not bring each other down.
· We need to support all of each other’s activities- not just sports.
· We need to avoid peer pressure, and not lead each other astray.
We need young people taking care of themselves and each other by
· uplifting each other rather than judging.
· helping and supporting each other.
· finding lifelong friends.
· Exercising. You gotta exercise.
· Not using substances.
· Not acting impulsively.
· We need young people
o building up their own confidence- then, we can be there for each other.
· We need young people taking on real responsibility.
· We’re gonna be grownups soon- we have to practice.
We need adults watching out for each other by...
· not spreading rumors.
· being better role models.
· showing integrity.
· keeping themselves accountable.
· We need adults to be understanding if someone needs a break.
· We need them not living through their children.
· We really need them supporting the children in other families, who may need them.
We need adults taking care of themselves and each other by…
· minding their own damn business.
· letting go of petty drama.
· showing respect and love for everyone.
· not making everything a competition.
· We need adults to model healthy behavior;
· We need adults to model healthy relationships;
· We need adults to take care of themselves and each other,
· because that will help us learn how to take care of ourselves,
· and learn how to take care of each other.