Advocating for our Community

Will Unger has been a trailblazer in mental health and youth advocacy, allowing him to unlock a passion for government and law

by Bridget Belden staff writer

Throughout his last four years, Will Unger has worked to help support his peers and de-stigmatize mental illness. This year, while working on creating a mental health space in the library, Unger helped start the group Trojans Unite, with the goal of creating a mental health support group at CHS. Though he helps advocate for mental health in the We Fight Youth Action Council within the Good Works Lab, Unger finds that Trojans Unite, “is a lot more doing instead of just talking about what we should do, so it’s very direct and effective.” However, the Good Works Lab also offers him opportunities to pursue his passions. “[The] Good Works Lab has given me a connection to the broader community. I’ve made connections with people from state level mental health organizations, and I’ve gotten job offers and internships through people who I’ve met through Good Works Lab,” explains Unger. “It has allowed me to explore other areas of government as well.”

Outside of the Trojans Unite and the We Fight Movement, Unger pursues his interests in advocating for mental health in other ways like writing an op-ed for the local Record Eagle. Through this work, Unger has awakened another passion, “Good Works Lab…We Fight Movement…that kind of fostered my interest in politics and government,” expresses Unger. Besides mental health advocacy, Unger also found interest with politics and government through working with Norte. “I also got more involved with Norte as an organization, and through that, that’s what made me realize that I enjoy the governmental and advocacy side of things,” explains Unger.

Unger plans to attend Columbia University in New York City, where he aspires to major “in either English or human rights on a pre-law track…I want to go to law school afterwards,” Unger lists. He plans to pursue a future “in human rights or civil rights law, and then potentially transition to politics.” Unger is looking forward to the classes and traditions of Columbia campus. “I am really excited for my freshman year literature class which is…one of their most famous classes: Literature Humanities. I’m [also] really excited for the tree lighting ceremony…and then also just getting to go to concerts and stuff like that around the city,” adds Unger.

Adding on to his wide array of interests, Unger also plays percussion for the CHS jazz band and plans to continue at college. “Columbia has a jazz ensemble that I’m thinking about joining, but there’s jazz clubs all over New York City, and…they do what’s called a jam session…[that] start at midnight and end at four am, so I can just show up and play with some of the best musicians in New York,” he mentions.

As he leaves CHS, Unger feels that his largest accomplishments have been “installing the mental health space…and seeing mental health being talked about,” says Unger. Looking forward, Unger cannot wait for his college experience: “I really love New York City, just all of the music opportunities and the cultural epicenter that it is, and also just getting the best education,” reflects Unger. //