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| 1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION | ||||||
| 2 | WHEREAS, Talented Tenth Social Services is a | ||||||
| 3 | community-based organization dedicated to educating, | ||||||
| 4 | empowering, and uplifting youth and families through | ||||||
| 5 | leadership development, culturally responsive programming, and | ||||||
| 6 | community engagement; and | ||||||
| 7 | WHEREAS, Project Altogether, an after-school program of | ||||||
| 8 | Talented Tenth Social Services sponsored by the Dunham | ||||||
| 9 | Foundation, provides a platform for East Aurora School | ||||||
| 10 | District 131 students in grades 6 through 8 to identify | ||||||
| 11 | community needs, practice leadership, and create meaningful | ||||||
| 12 | impact; and | ||||||
| 13 | WHEREAS, Recognizing the critical and growing need for | ||||||
| 14 | youth mental health awareness, the students of Project | ||||||
| 15 | Altogether developed the Youth Minds Matter initiative to | ||||||
| 16 | promote understanding, encourage open dialogue, and remind | ||||||
| 17 | young people that they are not alone; and | ||||||
| 18 | WHEREAS, As a symbol of their commitment, Project | ||||||
| 19 | Altogether students designed the Youth Minds Matter ribbon, | ||||||
| 20 | featuring green and white to represent mental health | ||||||
| 21 | awareness, healing, hope, and community support; and | ||||||
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| 1 | WHEREAS, Youth Minds Matter includes the creation of the | ||||||
| 2 | Mental Health Gallery website, a digital platform for creative | ||||||
| 3 | expression where students share artwork, poetry, and | ||||||
| 4 | reflections on anxiety, depression, and resilience, while | ||||||
| 5 | providing essential educational resources and crisis support | ||||||
| 6 | for families; and | ||||||
| 7 | WHEREAS, The initiative further includes the establishment | ||||||
| 8 | of Youth Minds Matter Spirit Week, which was created by the | ||||||
| 9 | young leaders of Project Altogether as a district-wide event | ||||||
| 10 | focused on promoting kindness, self-care, healthy coping | ||||||
| 11 | strategies, and mental health education; and | ||||||
| 12 | WHEREAS, Youth Minds Matter demonstrates the | ||||||
| 13 | transformative power of youth leadership in reducing stigma | ||||||
| 14 | and fostering empathy, embodying the principle that strong | ||||||
| 15 | minds lead to strong communities; therefore, be it | ||||||
| 16 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | ||||||
| 17 | HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
| 18 | we declare April 13 through April 19, 2026 as Youth Minds | ||||||
| 19 | Matter Spirit Week in the State of Illinois; and be it further | ||||||
| 20 | RESOLVED, That we recognize the students of Project | ||||||
| 21 | Altogether and Talented Tenth Social Services for their | ||||||
| 22 | leadership and dedication to the well-being of their peers and | ||||||
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| 1 | the residents of Illinois; and be it further | ||||||
| 2 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
| 3 | presented to Talented Tenth Social Services as a symbol of our | ||||||
| 4 | esteem and respect. | ||||||