Teens Trade a School Project for a Paint Session on Mental Health

At the Welcome Resource Center in Belize City this morning, a paint-and-sip session unfolded like any other art class, except the people holding the brushes ranged from thirty-five to sixty-five years old, and the two organisers behind it were still in high school.

Thirteen-year-old Arianna Grant and fourteen-year-old Jahmia Lodge, both students at Saint Catherine Academy, built the event around a simple idea: give people a reason to slow down, create something, and talk openly about mental health. They call the effort “Every Mind Matters”, and today’s session was its most visible outing yet, complete with donated food supplies and hygiene products for the centre alongside the art itself.

The idea started in July, when the pair reached out to the centre looking for a way to get involved in their community. According to administrator Beatrice Vernon, the more they learnt about the people the centre serves, the clearer the concept became.

“It was a surprise, and it’s another form of activity outside of what they’re used to,” Vernon said. “So for them, I know that it was an excitement for something like this happening here today with them, not only just painting but also with getting a little treat at the end of the session.”

One participant put it more simply, describing the feeling mid-session: “I feel like I’m young again.”

Vernon says the reaction from participants went beyond a fun afternoon. For many, picking up a paintbrush became a way to reconnect with something from childhood and a rare moment of ease.

“It was truly a blessing when they first came to me with the idea of being a part of the centre, bringing awareness to the community. And as young people, it was truly, truly grateful on our part that these young people saw and took the initiative of bringing awareness. They were able to bridge the gap between those that we at the centre were unable to reach.”

Vernon says she’s hopeful the students’ initiative won’t be a one-off and that it might push other young people to get involved locally while chipping away at the misconceptions still attached to mental health in Belize.

Full story tonight on News 5 Live at 6 o’clock.