Back to school with purpose
Santee High School Wellness Youth Advocates
As students across Los Angeles return to school, the excitement of a new academic year brings with it a renewed sense of hope and an opportunity to address the real challenges facing many youths and their families. At The L.A. Trust, we’re not just welcoming students back to the classroom, we’re standing beside them, ready to support their wellness, resilience, and success.
For some communities, the back-to-school season brings added stress. Families impacted by increased immigration enforcement often face deep uncertainty, and for many students, that anxiety doesn’t stop at the school gate. These young people may carry fears that go far beyond academics, concerns that can weigh heavily on their ability to focus, thrive, and fully engage in learning.
The effects of the pandemic are still being felt, especially in academic recovery. Gaps in subjects like math and writing remain, and students, particularly in underserved communities, are working hard to regain confidence and catch up. Meanwhile, the digital age presents its own set of challenges, with smartphones and social media often within reach, students are constantly navigating a world of distractions that can impact their mental health, sleep, and overall well-being.
Enter: The Wellness Youth Advocates
That’s where our Wellness Youth Advocates (WYAs) come in. These remarkable student leaders are not just responding to these challenges, they are transforming them into opportunities for growth, support, and connection.
Trained in leadership, advocacy, social-emotional learning, and health education, WYAs are leading campus-wide wellness campaigns and creating a culture of care. In the 2023–2024 school year, 104 students served as WYAs, reaching over 20,000 of their peers with powerful messages of hope, health, and resilience. We hope to reach many more this school year through an evolving partnership with LAUSD’s Wellness Programs, including new sites supported by LAUSD’s Healthy Start initiative, a refreshed model launching this school year that brings a more integrated, community-driven approach to student wellness.
In addition to leading outreach efforts, WYAs actively mentor and train their fellow students, a process that sharpens their own leadership skills while building peer-to-peer trust and credibility. Their campaigns have tackled key issues like behavioral health, substance use, nutrition, and sexual and reproductive health, including creative responses to high HPV rates, through social media, myth-busting skits, and school-wide announcements.
“WYAs are changing the narrative on school campuses,” says Patricia Salmeron, Associate Director of Wellness Programs at The L.A. Trust. “They show us what’s possible when young people are empowered to lead with empathy, with courage, and with a deep understanding of what their peers are going through.”
WYAs are also working on campuses to:
Create safe spaces for peers to discuss fears about immigration enforcement, mental health, and home stressors.
Encourage digital wellness, leading campaigns on healthy tech use and the mental effects of overexposure to screens.
Foster peer support networks that emphasize compassion, advocacy, and self-care.
These young leaders are proof that students are not only affected by challenges, but they are also capable of leading solutions.
This school year our message is clear: no student should feel like they’re navigating these challenges alone. The L.A. Trust and our network of Wellness Youth Advocates are here to uplift, empower, and walk beside students every step of the way.