MERRILL, Wis. (WJFW) - Governor Tony Evers visited Merrill High School today to meet with students, teachers and faculty to discuss student mental health issues. The visit was part of Evers’ plan to address what he has called a “burgeoning crisis” in mental and behavioral health. The governor declared earlier this year that 2023 would be “the Year of Mental Health.” Today he commended students at MHS for their efforts in building up the “Raise your Voice” program at the school.
“The fact that they’re willing to come together and talk about it is number one,” said Evers. “They want to work together with others to change something. Having been in schools most of my life, that’s extraordinary.”
During his visit, Evers met “Raise Your Voice” student representatives from schools throughout the Northwoods. The program aims to help students with mental health issues. After a group discussion with the students, Evers credited them for blazing the trail of mental health.
“These students are taking it on themselves and I think this is a great opportunity for them,” said Evers. “To have a student group that is as active as some of the ones that we saw today, they are going to share that and it’s going to grow forever.”
Merrill High School students Reggie Lahti and Jalie Severt – the president and secretary of MHS’s Raise Your Voice chapter - said it felt special to have their voices heard.
“It’s so great to see someone representing our state who also represents what we believe in,” said Lahti.
“Our main goal is just to break the stigma around mental health and mental illness…anywhere that we can get it, really, to help people know that it’s normal and you can get help,” said Severt.
During the meeting, Evers mentioned several of his own family members and how the issue affects him on a personal level
“Obviously, it impacts Kathy and I but um…it is something I think every family, in some fashion, is trying to address.”
The governor posed another interesting question to the group of students; why is it mostly girls sitting in here? The students agreed that he had a good point, leading everyone to acknowledge that the stigmas need to be broken, especially for male students.