MYLC brightens courtyard with chalk drawings

Photo courtesy of Alexandra Cali //

On March 8, the Mayor’s Youth Leadership Council debuted a series of colorful chalk drawings in the courtyard.  MYLC’s mission is to spread mental health awareness throughout Westhill’s community, and Executive Member, senior Isabella Petrini, said that is exactly what they aimed to do with their courtyard art.  “When creating the chalk drawings, we knew we wanted to put them in a location where everyone would see them.” Petrini said.  “We picked the courtyard because students are constantly walking through, and there are also several classroom windows that would have a direct view of the drawings.”

By placing powerful messages in an area that experiences such heavy foot traffic, MYLC members hope that the drawings will spark students’ interest and create an open dialogue about mental health.  “People can realize that they’re not alone, and others are going through the exact same thing.  It’s okay to talk about mental health, and we want to end the stigma that it’s not.”  Petrini said.