StrengthInScars is an organization that two Monacan High School Juniors, Kendall Mason and Paola Gonzales, both started.
They are proud members of the Monacan Health professions and Therapies (HPT) specialty center program for medicine. Mason and Gonzales began this movement knowing that they wanted to raise awareness about how people suffer in silence from self harm in a message that catered to the youth.
They chose the name StrengthInScars knowing that certain harm causes scars that individuals are ashamed or upset about. Mason and Gonzales want to encourage people that scars are a symbol of their strength to healing and getting through times of pain and suffering. Wanting to make an impact in schools, they promote their message of emotional wellness and good coping mechanisms.
They describe mental health as the state of mental wellbeing, meaning that one is not experiencing any stress or mental distress. Being able to cope with certain mental stresses without dealing with the unhealthy coping mechanisms is considered good mental health. A goal they have been working towards is overcoming the toxicity that comes with the stigma around self harm. Mental health stigma is seen as all the negative stereotypes and attitude beliefs that people possibly have or believe in for those suffering from mental health disorders. They say in order to prevent this, they encourage validation and remind their community that all of their feelings are valid and no one should feel guilty for suffering mentally.
Since the beginning of their campaign they have had multiple opportunities to go to other schools and advocate their stories and message with students. Mason and Gonzales expressed that seeing that they are able to make a difference makes them feel self-assured. One thing that has stuck with them to this day is meeting and interacting with 8th graders and being able to discuss these significant topics with them.
Most importantly they add a priority to them is being able to create a safe environment where anyone is more than welcome to speak about their emotions and be educated has been something that they find incredibly meaningful. At the moment they are focusing on going around schools but are building up their way to go to local colleges such as Virginia Commonwealth University continuing to speak for self harm awareness.
Mason and Gonzales have been using multiple different ways to promote their campaign. One of them is by hosting Health Occupations Students of America club meetings with their schoolmates where they inform them about self harm and the struggles or challenges one can face. Caring Conversations is another thing that they have started where they interview students and staff asking them about ways they cope when facing hardships along with any sort of advice they have for anyone.
Mason and Gonzales use their platform to give voice to those who feel silenced or guilty, hoping to help them find their strength and stop the negativity surrounding mental health stigma. Sharing their research and connecting with their community, aspiring to get their meaningful message out there more for those who need support.
To find more information about Mason and Gonzales’s journey you can visit their site: https://chronicdiseasekmasont2db.my.canva.site/strengthinscarshosa
