The AHS Mental Health Showcase will be held on February 29th at the Ed & Betty Wilcox Performing Arts Center at 7:00 pm. The doors will open at 6:30. The Showcase will include live AHS performances, a super sweet bake sale, and door prizes funded by the Kiwanis! Many students have signed up, with 15 anticipated performances from people such as Seth Walker, Natalee Reemstma, Aleena Rosacker, and Mr. Leibl’s band, Just ‘Cause, to name a few.
Attendees will have the opportunity to talk to mental health professionals for a chance to win prizes. These professionals will be set up in the lobby before and after the concert, punching cards. Some of the professionals in the lobby will include: Algona school counselors, Seasons Center, CARE Team, Prairie Ridge, Behavioral Health, Crisis Intervention Service, Life Connections, Kossuth County Public Health, Community and Family Resources, KRHC, Care Connections, Courageous Life Counseling, and more!
Emma Elsbecker originally founded the Mental Health Showcase in 2021, as a senior at AHS. Elsbecker is expected to be in attendance as well as performing in the showcase. The concert’s goal is to raise awareness for mental health issues, with proceeds from the show and sweet treat bake sale going to mental health awareness throughout the school. This fund helps cover posters, information, and other activities in the school.
Elsbecker states, “I started the Mental Health Showcase to spread mental health awareness in our community because of my own personal struggles and because of the millions of other people who struggle with mental health in the world today.” This brings focus to the topic of mental health and helps break the stigma around it. Now, more than ever, this is of absolute precedence with a Mental Health America study showing that over 2.7 million youth are experiencing severe major depression.
Be sure to save the date, for this Thursday, the 29th, and we hope to see everyone there!