Hundreds of students from Riverside County who produced public service announcements stressing how to replace suicidal thoughts and feelings with a healthier outlook on life will be recognized in a red carpet gala Thursday at the Fox Performing Arts Center in Riverside.
The county Office of Education and Riverside University Health System will jointly host the “Directing Change” awards showcase, beginning at 5 p.m. at the center, 3801 Mission Inn Ave.
The event is the culmination of a months-long contest during which 586 adolescents from 25 high schools, colleges and youth programs countywide worked on 30- to 60-second PSAs focused on mental health challenges, largely oriented to suicidal impulses.
Last year’s Directing Change first-place winner, Xavier Woods, said producing his own minute-long video entry “helped me navigate a particularly tough time in my life.”
“I am immensely grateful for the opportunities and the invaluable connections I made through the program,” Woods said. “The best part about `Directing Change’ is the people and the relationships we build.”
According to RUHS Behavioral Health officials, nearly half of U.S. high school students surveyed said they suffer “feeling persistently sad or hopeless.”
“Programs like `Directing Change’ not only educate youth about mental health and suicide prevention, but also equip them with the skills to help peers in distress,” the agency said.
During Thursday’s event, the formally attired attendees will be photographed walking the red carpet, after which nomination announcements will be made, followed by recognition of winners and speeches.
In addition to trophies, some honorees will receive cash prices totaling $1,000 apiece, officials said.
Additional information on the Directing Change program is available at directingchangeca.org/riversidecounty/.