A Monument Academy student holding a poster they created

With every step, sign, and encouraging message, students at Monument Academy Public Charter School in Washington, D.C., came together to remind one another of a powerful truth: You matter, and you are not alone.

In recognition of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, on September 17, Monument Academy hosted a student walk with the theme “You Matter, Walk In and With Purpose.” The event incorporated Our Minds Matter’s (OMM) Because You Matter Signature Campaign, which promotes mental wellness, self-love, and hope. This is a bulletin board campaign that welcomes students to write notes of affirmation to themselves and others within their school. 

In early September, OMM welcomed Monument Academy as the first boarding school for middle schoolers in our network. Dr. Hope Beavers, a former manager in DC Public Schools’ Office of School Improvements and Supports who now works at Monument Academy, launched the school’s Monument Minds Matter club.

“I saw the impact the club had on DCPS schools, and I know the population that we serve,” Dr. Beavers shared. “A lot of our kids have experienced trauma, so we wanted to let them know they’re not alone.”

Monument Academy was created to empower students facing significant adversity, including young people who have experienced or are at risk of involvement in the foster care or child welfare systems. The school provides additional layers of support through therapists and counselors who help create a stable, family-style environment.

To launch the club, Dr. Beavers and her team organized a Suicide Prevention Awareness Month event where students created personalized T-shirts and signs with positive messages. Many also included 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, on their shirt designs.

The day of the walk, approximately 100 students gathered at the Rosedale Community Center in Northeast DC, ready to walk and connect with their peers. Their signs and shirts carried messages such as “You are worth it,” “You matter,” and “Our world is a better place with you in it.”

The event began with CEO and Head of School Dr. Jeffrey Grant, who spoke about the importance of supporting one another and shared a personal experience with suicide loss. He reminded students that their school community cares about them and expressed his excitement for the event.

A Monument Academy student showing the shirt they made

Although rain forced the group to move inside, it did not dampen their energy. Dr. Beavers explained what the OMM program is to attendees and invited OMM Senior Program Coordinator Ramona Plummer to share more about the Because You Matter campaign. Students then walked laps around the gym, danced to music, and completed campaign prompt cards in small groups.

Their responses were heartfelt, including: “I’m glad you’re here because you matter,” “You matter to me because you’re kind and loved,” and “I will listen because you matter.”

The event demonstrated the power of peer connection and showed students actively creating a culture where they can support one another during difficult moments. It was inspiring to see students reading each other’s messages, celebrating together, and expressing their willingness to listen and care for their peers. When students learn to support one another in this way, they help foster a school culture where mental health conversations feel less stigmatized, and students feel more comfortable asking for help and offering support.

The launch of Monument Minds Matter represents an exciting step for OMM as we expand our presence into non-traditional school settings. OMM is proud that our program can be part of this effort. Through Monument Minds Matter, students will have additional opportunities to develop tools that promote mental wellness.

This event marked the beginning of the club’s journey, and we look forward to seeing what comes next.

Thank you, Monument Minds Matter, for reminding us all that every student matters! We’re excited to see how other OMM clubs uplift Because You Matter messages in their school communities.

A special thank you for supporting Our Minds Matter goes to the Adam R. Scripps Foundation;  Born This Way Foundation; The Busyhead Project; Capital for Children; The Goodness Web; The J. Willard & Alice S. Marriott Foundation; The Kettering Family Foundation; The MATTIE Fund; The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; Rosendin Foundation; and our supporter community of mental health champions like you.