Training Youth to Lead B y A n d r e w C h i a pp a z z i
Woodland Hills student Aubrie Moon, now a sophomore, talks with students in the mental health group during the fourth annual Woodland Hills Student Summit on February 10, 2023.
A ubrie M oon is passionate about mental health . The Woodland Hills High School sophomore wants to reduce the stigma around the topic and believes strongly that more advocacy is necessary. Her desire to be part of that conversation led her to join the Woodland Hills Student Summit, an annual event where high school students hand-pick topics and then lead discussions with students from other districts.
“ In order to be listened to, you have to also
listen to the other person. Communication is a very two-way thing.”
It’s one thing to speak passionately about a topic. It’s another to lead effectively, and that is something Moon and other student leaders have been working on the past two years through dedicated training prior to the summit. “We talked a lot about being very open to new ideas. I think that’s something I struggled with in the past,” Moon said. “In order to be listened to, you have to also listen to the other person. Communication is a very two-way thing.” Student leaders attended a training session at Chatham University this past fall in preparation for the fifth Woodland Hills Student Summit taking place in March. The training was led by Matthew Crutchman, a 4-H educator with Penn State Extension, who has a background in mental health, social work and first aid. Woodland Hills student Bree Boyd speaks to students gathered for the fourth annual Woodland Hills Student Summit on February 10, 2023. Photos: Andrew Chiappazzi 24
Crutchman has been a fixture since the second summit, when organizer and Woodland Hills High School English teacher Erin Wall invited him to serve as an expert in mental health. “Matthew recognized the need for student leadership training for a more holistic development and the recognition that young individuals have the potential to Allegheny Intermediate Unit • aiu3.net
