San Francisco, Calif. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — A recent Gallup poll found one in four young people are experiencing symptoms of loneliness. This comes after Surgeon General, Doctor Vivek Murthy described loneliness as an epidemic. We’re about to meet one woman who decided to do something about it. She discovered it’s the kids themselves who have the best chance to help one another with friendships.
Having friends that he can talk to about anything, is something high school junior, Jacky Law doesn’t take it for granted. friendships
“Growing up I lived in SRO housing, which is a single room occupancy. When I was talking to friends, I would be too afraid to bring them over to my place in fear, like they would judge me,” said Jacky Law, National Teen Board Member of Beyond Differences.
That’s why Law became a National Teen Board member for Beyond Differences. A groundbreaking non-profit that helps to end social isolation among middle school students. It’s the brainchild of Laura Talmus.
“And what we do is offer programs and services to schools free of charge. All in an effort to have middle school students, create cultures of belonging,” said Laura Talmus, Co-Founder, Beyond Differences.
The inspiration came from Talmus’ own daughter, Lili, who felt socially isolated due to a rare facial birth defect.
“She would call me hiding in the girl’s bathroom during lunch and begging me to come pick her up. And after Lili passed away, we began by testing out was this something that others were feeling as well and sure enough the need is tremendous,” explained Talmus.
Events that Beyond Differences has established including ‘No One Eats Alone Day’ and ‘Get to Know Your Classmates Day.’ friendships
“Everybody has had their own experience with isolation,” said Avery Palacios, National Teen Board Member of Beyond Differences.
Like Law, Avery Palacios, is on the high school board that looks for solutions and writes curriculum based upon their own experiences.
“As a middle schooler I feel like it’s so hard to make connections,” said Palacios.
Their curriculum is used by teachers at over ten-thousand schools in all 50 states.
Since it was founded in 2010, beyond differences has helped nearly five million young students in ten-thousand different middle schools. One of those helping is teen board member, Alysha Lee who became the youngest to ever receive the Surgeon General’s Medallion for Health Award. The recognition was for her work in bringing awareness to anti-Asian hate crimes.
Contributors to this news report include: Jennifer Winter, Producer; Bob Walko, Editor, Joe Alexander-Short, Photographer
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Sources:
https://www.statista.com/chart/31243/respondents-who-feel-fairly-or-very-lonely/
https://www.beyonddifferences.org/alysha-lee-us-surgeon-general-medallion-award/
