18/09/2026
FEATURE STORY - A conversation can be a lifeline
In a time when teenagers are constantly navigating academic pressure, friendships, family expectations, social media, and the uncertainties of growing up, talking about mental health is no longer optional. It is necessary.
This reality took center stage as the Rotary Club of Ozamiz North (RCON) and the Rotaract Club of Ozamiz North successfully carried out their Mental Health Awareness Project on September 18, 2026, at Misamis Annex Integrated School.
The project brought together young people and community members for an afternoon focused on understanding mental health, recognizing emotional struggles, and encouraging open conversations about well-being.
With Dr. Connie Soledad, Psychologist, serving as resource speaker and PP Candelaria Piamonte Mags Maghanoy heading the activity, the gathering provided an opportunity for participants to look beyond the usual academic concerns and pay attention to something equally important: how young people are actually doing inside.
For teenagers, mental health concerns are often difficult to express. A student may appear cheerful in class while quietly dealing with pressure, loneliness, self-doubt, family concerns, bullying, relationship problems, or the overwhelming expectations placed on them.
That is why creating spaces where students can listen, ask questions, speak freely, and feel understood matters.
The partnership between RCON and Rotaract also highlighted the power of intergenerational and youth-led service. Rotary brings community leadership and experience, while Rotaract provides a strong connection to the concerns, experiences, and realities of young people.
More than simply conducting a seminar, the project delivered an important message: mental health deserves the same attention and care we give to physical health.
For students, awareness can be the first step toward recognizing that asking for help is not a weakness. For teachers, parents, and community members, it is a reminder to listen more closely and create environments where young people feel safe enough to speak.
The project was especially timely because today's teenagers are growing up in a world where information is everywhere, but meaningful conversations are not always easy to find.
Through initiatives like this, Rotary and Rotaract continue to demonstrate that service is not only about providing material assistance. Sometimes, service means starting a conversation, breaking a stigma, listening without judgment, and reminding a young person that they do not have to face everything alone.
And perhaps that is one of the most meaningful forms of service:
helping young people understand their minds, care for their well-being, and know that someone is willing to listen.
