[intro music] HIKI NŌ, Hawai‘i's New Wave of Storytellers.

Aloha and welcome to this week’s episode of HIKI NŌ on PBS Hawai‘i.

Aloha I'm Reese Lapas, a HIKI NŌ journalist and proud member of the McKinley High School Class of 2023.

Thank you for joining me for this special edition of HIKI NŌ on PBS Hawai‘i.

The U.S.

Surgeon General has declared a youth mental health crisis in the United States, and in this regard, Hawai‘i is no different from the rest of the country.

The isolation caused by the pandemic and the ill effects of social media have heightened what had already been a serious epidemic.

But there is an activity more and more young people are turning to that, while by no means a cure, can be of help to those who are struggling with mental health challenges.

That activity is storytelling.

And it's no coincidence that since the onset of the COVID 19 pandemic, there has been a growing trend, some would even say a surge, of stories on HIKI NŌ dealing with youth mental health.

These types of stories really came to the floor with the creation of a new HIKI NŌ genre, the Student Reflection, which arose during the school lockdown in the spring of 2020, when students were home alone, and we asked them to turn their cameras, mostly their phones, on themselves to express what they were going through during this unprecedented time.

[ocean wave] Hi, my name is Christian Aragon and I'm a senior at Konawaena High School here on the Big Island of Hawai‘i.

This is Ella Anderson, a sophomore from Kapa‘a High School on Kaua‘i.

Hi, this is Ivan Elf from H.P.

Baldwin High School.

I'm in Waikapu in my new car.

Aloha, I'm Kailani Ibanez and I'm a sophomore at H.P.

Baldwin High School on Maui.

This is Cameron Culver in the 11th grade at Maui High School.

Hi, my name is Holden Aniya, a junior at Sacred Hearts Academy O‘ahu.

This is Faith Christy Soliven, a junior from Maui high school.

Aloha.

My name is Evalani Keawekane, an eighth grader at Kamehameha Maui Middle School.

Before the lockdown, I was as busy as can be.

For me, distance learning has been a little stressful.

When coronavirus first hit, I did not want to stay at home.

Like, I wasn't exactly the happiest in the world, but I was content with life.

COVID-19 forced me to rethink my lifestyle and establish a new routine.

I'm here to talk about distance learning has been affecting me personally.

When quarantine first began, I mainly just did the virtual homework I got from school and relaxed in my room.

But as the months went by, and distance learning for the new school year began, I realized that during quarantine, I actually hadn't tried any of the things I had always wanted to do.

Now that we're home learning all day, there's many distractions, and it's super noisy around my house.

Since I'm in online school, you would think, “Wow, this is much easier since I'm at home.” But now I barely know the difference between work and rest at my own house.

Progressively I found myself emotionally isolated and lost.

My mental health came to a breaking point.

I would become stressed and overwhelmed, and I would find myself becoming unmotivated and lying in bed not being able to move.

I would grow anxious over everything, and angry at the smallest things.

It was difficult.

But there are some bright spots too.

I finally opened up to family and close friends.

I knew I had to do better, so I got to work.

Things started to change when I began to help him learn from home.

COVID-19 has forced me to find new and unexpected ways of achieving these goals.

It's stuff like trying to learn the ukulele, practicing painting, drawing, or even embroidery, which is something I wanted to learn for years.

I thank the best and the worst parts of this pandemic for teaching me how to be closer to others.

And even though I'm not as great as I was before it started, I'm better than I was when it began.

And that's a beginning.

And like everyone else who's had to adjust to staying at home, I just have to keep trying, one day at a time.

Distance Learning isn't that bad after all.

It's just what you make of it.

I took the extra step to help myself from feeling so stuck.

Not even a pandemic can keep us from sharing our aloha for one another.

And I cannot wait to see what comes next.

Aloha, my name is Akeakamai Cho.

I am a sophomore at Kua O Ka Lā Miloli‘i Hipu‘u Virtual Academy.

I'm recording this outside my school on the Big Island on February 16, 2021.

COVID’s been hard on my family and me.

Both of my parents lost their jobs.

My father worked for the forest reserve and now looks for part time work.

My mother was a prep cook, but the restaurant she worked at closed during the pandemic.

The folks at Mental Health America Hawai‘i began to take notice, and during an in-depth analysis of the student reflection by Akeakamai Cho in South Kona, Program Director Dr. Mestisa Gass made this observation.

So, really getting back to the ownership of like, this is my story, and this is what I want to share.

And this is who I am in this moment.

I'm sharing it with my people and when the people around me and my peers.

Um, and I think that that is a powerful thing to be able to do.

The benefits of telling and sharing these stories became so evident that for the past three years PBS Hawai‘i and Mental Health America of Hawai‘i have, through their Student Voice Awards, honored HIKI NŌ storytellers who have done an outstanding job of raising awareness about youth mental health.

In a little while, you'll meet the recipients of this year's Student Voice Awards.

But first, let's take a look at an example of how deeply personal and emotionally raw a HIKI NŌ story on mental health can be.

The following personal narrative by H.P.

Baldwin High School student Lauryn Ige, from May of 2020, definitely displays those qualities.

But it also has a poetic sensibility that helps the viewer experience what it's like being Lauren.

Warning, this story deals very frankly with the subject of suicide.

Truth, we often cover it with a mask to hide the worst parts of ourselves.

For me, I can't keep living behind a mask.

The truth is, I live with major depression and generalized anxiety disorder.

Depression casts a filter on my mindset.

I have a hard time picturing positive scenarios for myself.

I don't really want a future.

I am so afraid of growing up that I'd rather die instead and imagine ways that I could die.

I keep thinking it's an easy way out to escape from my fear of winding up with some job I hate, living some life that I don't want.

I feel like I'm just making my way through life doing whatever I've always done or am expected to do, get good grades in school, do extracurriculars.

I'm rushing through life looking for the next thing.

I live a life of rushed isolation, feeling as if everyone is in on something I'm not, never truly connecting with any friends that I make.

Is he really though, because I feel like he just, he's feeling any connection with anyone - This anxiety tells me that nobody really likes me, that something will always go wrong, and that I must always second guess.

It's like being behind a glass wall, seeing others happy but being unable to fully join them.

Born from my anxiety was an eating disorder and, as my mom and I call it, took over my life, filling my head with self-doubt and images of unrealistic perfection.

And it took away my strength to fight my other mental illnesses.

And the depression and anxiety worsened.

I'm doing better but still recovering.

It's hard never feeling good enough.

But I try to remember the reason to stay strong, because the people who care about me don't want me to die.

I stay strong because I love them deeply.

I love the little happy moments, those nuggets in life, as my boyfriend calls them.

From when we got 22 chicken nuggets in our 20 piece, which I was able to eat after not eating all day.

I stay strong by also remembering this quote I made: You can't take a leap of faith with one foot still on the ground.

I know I need to take that leap of faith toward happiness, not just for myself, but for my family who loves me, especially my mom who helps me through hard times.

I want to love things in life more.

I'm afraid that things won't work out for me, but I truly hope to discover who I am and want to be.

In life, I hope to be happy more than anything.

Remember, if you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, or any form of self-harm, call or text 988 for help.

You'll be happy to know that we reached out to Lauren through her former HIKI NŌ teacher and learned she is attending college and doing well.

Now, as promised, let's take a look at the 2023 Student Voice Awardees of the stories that brought them recognition.

The Awards were presented on May 4 at the conclusion of the MHAH mental health awareness and award celebration to a packed house at the Ala Moana Hotel.

After each awardee was announced, their HIKI NŌ story was shown to the attendees followed by a short acceptance speech by the awardee.

The first to be recognized was Emi Nishimura from Kailua Intermediate School with a moving and intensely personal depiction of a recent tragedy.

Hello, my name is Emi Nishimura and I'm an eighth grader at Kailua Intermediate School on the Island of O‘ahu.

I once knew someone.

They were around my age and had their whole life ahead of them.

They died by suicide.

They were the type of person who I would have never even suspected to be hurting inside.

I thought that they're the very definition of okay because they always seemed so happy and were social and would tell jokes to make people laugh.

But it turned out that they were not alright, and I never knew that until it was too late.

I saw them every single day, until suddenly, just like that, they were gone.

Knowing someone my age and then losing them was shocking.

It was painful and it hurt.

I had never thought something like that would happen to someone I knew, but it did.

What happened has made me more aware of how much mental health matters and how it can affect everyone, even people you might not think it would.

It's made me realize how important it is to check up on your friends, make sure that they're doing okay.

And if they're not, being there for them and letting them know that you care.

So, if you are feeling depressed or even considering self-harm or suicide, or know someone who is, please reach out for help by talking to someone you trust, like your friends, teachers, coaches, or anyone you feel comfortable talking to.

You can even call a suicide prevention line, which is anonymous and confidential.

It can be difficult to be honest about how you are feeling, but in the end, it will be worth it.

Every situation and person is different, but always know that there is hope and there are people who are here to help.

Most of all, know that you matter, and you are worth so much more than you think.

I wanted to thank the Mental Health America of Hawai‘i.

I'm very honored to be here today.

And I wanted to thank them for all that they do for everyone.

And I also wanted to express my gratitude for my teachers and PBS Hawai‘i for, um, all that they did to make this video possible and providing so many opportunities for students across the state, um, to share their stories and really making an impact on the community.

Um, thank you, everyone here.

It’s an honor.

[applause] Stories created by individuals were honored with individual awards while stories created by student teams are honored with school awards.

Such was the case with a Kaiser High School story, the Hardest Thing About Being a Teenager.

[alarm blares] Life is tough.

That's what they say.

But they don't know what it's like every day.

That pressure and stress that you must hide away, parts of yourself beginning to fray, just repeating this ongoing relay.

That constant expectation to obtain that A, to wake up in the morning and to go to school, just so people can test you and prove you’re a fool.

This routine seems to repeat, a constant ongoing feeling of defeat.

The teachers say you obviously didn't try, but they don't know you go to your room and cry.

You did put in effort; you did your part.

They just don't understand you're not that smart.

Then comes the pressure from your mom and dad, who were so clearly disappointed that your grades are bad, you are punished and picked on for the rest of the year because you finally gave up on that future career that was once so close but is now so distant.

It's hard enough getting up and going to class without the pressure and expectation that you have to pass.

The worst part, however, is not that you're a disappointment.

It's the permanent, never-ending embarrassment of always failing and coming last, of never been good enough.

Your confidence dropping fast.

Everyone else seems to be doing just fine.

Their parents are all proud, unlike mine.

Honestly, I can't think of a worse place than this, when in reality, it's made out to be somewhere where we should miss.

We should all take a moment to reflect on ourself.

All these high expectations can damage one's mental health.

If I was a teacher, I would always try to make sure that fear of failure is not a reason to cry.

People need to understand school is no longer fun or good ‘cause some of us don't fit in, although we wish we could.

I wanted to say thank you to my teacher Ms. Misi, for helping us make this video.

Uh, this video was just to kind of like, express those challenges that often get overlooked by, by students.

And, um, I think that we did a pretty good job.

Sadly, Jack couldn’t make it, but it’s okay.

Um, yeah, thank you.

[applause] The next awardee was Cadence Wisniewski from Kalāheo High School with her student reflection on social media and self-esteem.

Hi, my name is Cadence Wisniewski, and I'm a junior at Kalāheo High School here on the island of O‘ahu.

After a long 16 years of life, I've come to the conclusion that I'm way too obsessed with what other people are doing on social media.

Having practically grown up on the internet, I've always had the digital world right at my fingertips, just a click away.

And with the constant scrolling came the constant thoughts.

And while sometimes I can be a little dramatic – I’m never going to get a boyfriend.

These thoughts and feelings that came with social media had me critiquing every little thing about myself.

Seeing this one second snapshot of people living their best life drove me crazy with envy, and I felt like I was stuck in a never-ending cycle of judgment and comparison, to the point where everywhere I looked, I thought everyone was judging me, even my dog.

But despite what people and animals may think, there comes a time when I just need to stop stressing about what other people have to say, and just do my own thing.

I can't control them; I can only control myself and how I deal with the hate.

So, whenever I become too overwhelmed with social media, I take a step back, and I observe the real world around me.

With the help from my mom, and the support from my friends, they were able to remind me of the importance of loving myself.

And every once in a while, I still will have those bad days, but staying true to myself and being proud of who I am, well, there's nothing more real than that.

Cadence and her family recently moved to Virginia, so she prerecorded her acceptance speech, and it was shown at the event.

Aloha from Virginia.

Oh, I'm so disappointed that I'm not able to be there in person to accept this award.

But I just wanted to make a quick video to, you know, say a few thank you’s and to kind of be there in spirit with everybody.

Uh, the first people I'd like to thank is, of course, the Mental Health of America organization for giving me this opportunity to share my story and for getting my message out there.

Um, I think it's important to know that not just for kids of my generation, but for people of all ages, to know that we're all just struggling.

We're all just trying to find our way in the world, and especially with this added challenge of such a social media focused environment, like, it can be tough.

And honestly, I think that if we all just stay kind to each other, and we stay positive and have a little bit of patience, I think everything will be okay.

Up next, another school award, this time for Sacred Hearts Academy and its team-produced story, Believe It Or Not, I Care.

Going from a co-ed to all girl school was definitely different.

I felt kind of stressed because I didn't know if I was going to fit in, and I didn't know if I was going to make more friends.

So, how's your school year?

It's been pretty good so far.

A new student group called the B.I.O.N.I.C.

Lancers quickly put her fears to rest.

B.I.O.N.I.C.

has really helped me have people to rely on and kind of trust while moving to a new school, and they kind of gave me people to really communicate with and just made me feel comfortable.

Alright ladies, we have so much to plan for the month of September.

B.I.O.N.I.C., which stands for Believe It Or Not I Care, started this school year to support students during challenging times.

Our mission is to make everyone feel welcomed here and to build relationships and community, and who doesn't like to belong to a school community?

Uh, right now our focus is new students to the academy, um, and first year students, uh, that we, you know, we can kind of like see where they're at as far as their transition.

The student-led team welcomes new Lancers with the fall social.

I think it was important for the new students to have the social because when new students come it's kind of stressful for them because they never know, "Oh, what if I'm the only one here?

Oh, what if I'm the only new student?"

So, it gives them a chance to relate to other new students coming.

B.I.O.N.I.C.

member Miki Cheung knows what it's like to be new.

She transferred last year from Macau and had to navigate a new country, a new school, and even a new primary language.

I'm like, insecure, and I don't really like to ask questions, especially during class.

During breaks, Miki and other B.I.O.N.I.C.

members chat with students around campus.

Actually, we often see students like, eating alone, and, um, especially for those new students, they are unfamiliar with the school, and they probably feel insecure.

They also support students like senior Rory Redila, who recently experienced the loss of a loved one.

It kind of helped me and my sister because we got a card and like, flowers, and it kind of like, just brightened the day.

It also feels good too, because then I know that my own classmates are there for me, even though they might not know what happened.

Just being there like, as support is enough.

The B.I.O.N.I.C.

Lancers are making a difference at school and getting more requests for help and support.

We're getting our name out there, and we just hope that people will, um, use us to, to help support students here at the academy.

They run to you and then like, greet you like, wave at you like, smile at you.

Like, these moments are the moment that I really know that "Oh, I made a difference and I, like, I helped them."

This is Keira Wheeler from Sacred Hearts Academy for HIKI NŌ on PBS Hawai‘i.

I'm Keira Wheeler.

I'm a freshman at Sacred Hearts Academy.

Our video about the B.I.O.N.I.C.

Lancers, who's actually here with us today, so I'm so thankful they're able to come with us.

So, our video explains how the supportive group has been an important asset to our school community, helping others through good or bad times, as well as to create connections in our community.

I would like to thank Mental Health America and everyone who helped me create this video.

My crew, Laulea, Inez, and Gennellea, Mrs. Miyashiro - he's the counselor at our school and also the advisor for Believe It Or Not I Care, and last, but certainly not least, my teacher, Mrs. Myers for believing in me, encouraging me, and sharing her wisdom during this wonderful journey.

Once again, thank you so much.

And now the last and youngest awardee, Kolten Sewake from E.B.

de Silva Elementary School on Hawai‘i Island, with Dear Third Grade Kolten.

Dear third grade Kolten, things are gonna get tough for you in fourth grade.

There is gonna be a new sickness.

All schools will shut down.

You'll have all your classes at home on the computer.

You'll stay at home all day.

It will actually be kind of fun.

Then we'll find out mom has cancer, but she'll get better after a few months.

But then the cancer will come back, and she'll get even worse.

Auntie Kathy will move to E.B.

de Silva Elementary School.

I have no idea where that place was, but I do think it will be easier if you and Creighton go there, too.

So, you'll change schools but find out the teachers are very nice.

You'll even eat breakfast at school, and Grandma will help around the house.

You will also learn how to take care of Creighton.

Bummer, right?

But Mom will get better every day.

Just to remember to go through every day with a good attitude and everything will be okay.

Sincerely, sixth grade Kolten.

Um, I want to thank the organization for making this event happen.

I want to thank my aunty for helping me make the video.

Uh, yeah, this opportunity made, made me learn more about, uh, mental health.

And yeah, that's all.

[laughter and applause] Congratulations to Kolten, and to all of the 2023 Student Voice Award recipients.

Thank you for your courage and telling your stories and your generosity and sharing them with others.

By revealing your own experiences, you let others facing similar challenges know that they are not alone and that there is hope.

And a big mahalo to Mental Health America of Hawai‘i for all that you do, and for partnering with HIKI NŌ on PBS Hawai‘i and promoting the healing power of storytelling.

We leave you now with some final thoughts from student voice awardees.

A lot of students are shy when it comes to these kinds of feelings, and I feel like if more students came across and, um, were to be more open with their feelings, a lot more people would be open as well.

It was fun to know other people's experience with their lives and how they got affected with it as well.

It's better to look at two sides of the story.

And while looking at the negative, you can also think of solutions that could help.

I felt that it was important to let other people in the community, especially teenagers and other kids my age, know that they're not alone in their struggles, especially concerning mental health.

And I think now with HIKI NŌ, they have that voice, and they have a way for them to express themselves and they can get their stories out.

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