At Our Minds Matter (OMM), the teen voice is at the center of all we do. From our club leadership to our curriculum (and even some of our merch!), we strive to uplift the youth perspective as we work toward our mission, and our Teen Advisory Council (TAC) is a key part of this endeavor.
Launched in the 2020–2021 school year, the OMM Teen Advisory Council invites high school student leaders from DMV-based OMM clubs to provide insight on OMM’s programming, goals, and communications through an eight-month paid internship. During their tenure, TAC members collaborate on programmatic, fundraising, and design projects, support our partnerships with other mental health organizations, and have access to other professional development opportunities.
This year, TAC is composed of seven members, representing three of our partnering school districts—Montgomery County Public Schools, Fairfax County Public Schools, and D.C. Public Schools. While we are only halfway through the school year, we are excited to share what they’ve been up to so far!
gearing up for advocacy
For the 2025-26 school year, TAC’s area of focus is mental health advocacy. Through their work, TAC members will aim to empower fellow teens to engage in mental health advocacy and make a larger impact on their school community. The group kicked off their work by providing feedback on the OMM advocacy guide—a soon-to-be-released resource providing teen-centered actions, tips, and resources for mental health advocacy and activism.
TAC members have also been weighing in on the agenda for our upcoming in-person Teen Leader Summit in March! In addition to planning the content of the Summit, members are working on two mental health advocacy-focused sessions that they’ll be leading at the Summit to educate and empower fellow teen leaders.
making the digital world safer for mental health
In addition to working alongside fellow teen leaders and OMM staff, TAC members often meet with our partner organizations in the mental health ecosystem. These collaborations allow students to deepen their participation and understanding of mental health change. This fall, TAC has continued the work that began in fall 2024 with the Mental Health Coalition (MHC)’s Safer Online Standards (SOS) Task Force.
The MHC—of which OMM is a proud member—is a group of leading mental health organizations, brands, and individuals working to destigmatize mental health conversations. For the past three years, the SOS Task Force has been working to develop a set of standards for tech platforms, specifically related to mental health. These platforms will then receive safety ratings, which will help teens and other social media users make decisions about how to protect their mental health while engaging with online content. OMM TAC members have been the main source of youth feedback throughout this project!
keeping it real with AI
Secondly, in December, TAC members collaborated with the Rithm Project—an organization focused on building human connection in an age of AI. The Rithm Project’s tools aim to help youth use AI safely while navigating potential risks. During their second quarterly meeting in December, TAC members played a Rithm Project game exploring how artificial intelligence impacts connection.
The game encouraged teens to discuss the pros and cons of different uses for AI, such as venting frustrations to a chatbot; a hidden, in-ear AI companion to help with conversation skills; having AI write a heartfelt message to a friend; and more! These scenarios opened insightful conversations about the nuance of AI use through a teen perspective. TAC members can improve their ability to discuss the impacts of AI with their peers, helping to create safer experiences across the digital world.
going above and beyond
Lastly, we are excited to highlight two amazing opportunities that individual TAC members participated in this fall.🥳
In late October, Nushrat Zaima, a junior at Richard Montgomery High School, served as a Youth Keynote Speaker at CareFirst’s Montgomery County Mental Health Summit, “Elevating Community Solutions for Youth Behavioral Wellness.” The summit welcomed mental health providers, partners, and advocates from across the country, and Nushrat represented both OMM and the teen voice excellently. (Read the full story here!)
Next, in mid-November, Ted Doto, a senior student leader at Poolesville High School’s Hero Club/Falcon Minds Matter, helped host representatives from Montgomery County Councilmember Kate Stewart’s office. During their lunch period, Hero Club members participated in a teen-focused listening session to share more about what mental health supports they would like to see in their community.
and we’re just getting started!
We are so proud of these teens and their efforts to represent their peers and communities, and we can’t wait for what’s to come in spring 2026!
A special thank you for supporting Our Minds Matter goes to The J. Willard & Alice S. Marriott Foundation; Kettering Family Foundation; The MATTIE Fund; Rosendin Foundation; Van Metre Companies; and our supporter community of mental health champions like you.💙