The Healthy Teen Project started in 2021 as an art contest to inspire high school students on the West Coast Of Florida to learn more about health, wellness and life skills. Leslie Glass, co-founder of Reach Out Recovery, (ROR) wrote the Teen Guide To Health as a roadmap for basic health information every teen needs to know. The project was sponsored by ROR and ROR Empowerment and funded by Rotary Clubs in area 8 of District 6960, District 6960, and individual donors.

The challenge to students: read The Teen Guide To Health, chose a subject from the book, and submit an art or media project to the ROR website to win prizes for best positive mental health messaging by and for teens.This unique project joined art and education, bringing crucial health and lifestyle information to teens who don’t receive this kind of comprehensive information anywhere else. It created curiosity around mental health and excitement about the opportunity to participate in a program that brought students from different schools and programs together to celebrate their creativity.

• More that 1500 students have participated in the What Makes You Healthy mental health initiative
• 20 high school students have received awards.
• $24,000 in scholarship prizes for best positive mental health messaging by and for teens.
•  Winning teens have used their experience as part of their college applications and to mentor others, both in high school and college.

The What Makes You Healthy project has been a teen mental health initiative of Rotary District 6960. Rotary Clubs of Sarasota Bay, Sarasota Sunrise, Sarasota Gulf Coast, Sarasota Downtown, Sarasota Southside, and Rotary District 6960.

• The program was presented to RYLA teens in District 6960 in 2021 and 2024.
• The program was presented in a breakout session at District 6960nConference 7/2024
• 150 books were distributed to all attendees of the 7/24 District 6960 Conference
• Leslie and Lindsey Glass were keynote speakers at the 7/24 District 6960 Conference                                           

Now Being Taught In Schools and Afterschool Programs

While Sarasota Rotary Bay Club and ROR loved presenting the What Makes You Healthy Art/Media contest, it was not possible to hold the contest in 2024. Interest blossomed for materials that could provide health and lifestyle information to a wider range of teens and we decided focus on developing new partnerships to provide health education access to teens everywhere. We began collaborating with education experts to develop the curriculum and provide it to schools and afterschool programs interested in it.

In 2024 ROR began a collaboration with Dee Fabry, PhD to develop a lesson plan for schools and playbook for afterschool programs. Our collaborations include the University of South Florida, Professors Sandra Stone, PhD,  Marie Byrd, PhD, The Boys and Girls Clubs of Manatee, and Sarasota Military Academy. This project joins art and education, bringing crucial health and lifestyle information to teens who don’t receive this kind of comprehensive information anywhere else. To participate, donate, or learn more contact: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]