CONNECTING THE DOTS

11-11-25

TIM SULLIVAN

tim@wdtimes.com

WATERTOWN — It’s not breaking news that mental health among young Americans is at an all-time low. What may be breaking news, however, is that the youth themselves are working to solve it in the Watertown area.

The Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation has engaged in a project over the past year to help understand the challenges that are facing youth in the local community. Today, the Youth Wellbeing Summit is being held at Turner Hall, a culmination of the months of work compiled by many community stakeholders.

“Over the past year, the Foundation has hosted more than a dozen community conversations, surveyed more than 500 parents, and activated 25local high school students who conducted more than 200 one-on one interviews with peers, parents and community leaders,” said GWCHF ChiefTransformation Officer Tina Crave.

Gillian Mihalko, on left, is one of the 24 other teens from around the area engaged in the GWCHF Youth Wellbeing project. The summit is being held at Turner Hall, pictured right.

“Hundreds of studies have proven that the single greatest predictor of our health, happiness and even longevity is surprisingly simple—it’s quality relationships and human connection.

“While we live in a world of 24/7 digital connectivity, many youth feel more disconnected than ever. Thriving Together is our community’s journey to find balance and belonging in a tech-filled world. And the good news is—our young people are ready to help lead the way.”

One of the participants in the project is Watertown High School senior Gillian Mihalko.

“I initially got an email about it,” Mihalko explained. “Just kind of learning more what it was about, and that its goal was to create an action plan. Obviously that plan would affect me, affect my peers so that kind of made me interested in it, that made me want to have an input in it, because it was thing that is going to affect me.

“I would say I kind of live in the problem every single day. A lot of my peers, we’ve all kind of we all we’ve all expressed that we know phones area problem and that we want to break those bad habits of social media, but it’s difficult to break a habit when everyone shares the same habit.”

Mihalko and 24 other teens from around the area conducted 211 total interviews in their communities. In the age of social media, well, their underlying finding may not come as a surprise.

“People definitely agreed that phones and social media are causing problems,” she said. “We just came up with a general idea that we really have to strengthen our community. I think it was a big one.”

Today’s Youth Summit will put the stakeholders — including those high school students — in a room to discuss and explore what they’ve already found out through their community survey process. Better yet, the goal is to come away with an action plan that will help improve the lives of those who have seen their generation fall into despair in the social media age.

“That’s taking all that data that Gillian and other youth leaders collected,”said GWCHF Social Impact Coordinator Susan Olson. “All of those interview results and then an additional survey of over 500 parents in our community. It’s taking all that data together with the student leaders like Gillian, and with those people who were interviewed, with local leaders,with local law makers, policymakers, and then it’s everybody coming together to create those sort of next steps.”

Mihalko is ready to put her findings into practice, and hopefuly work toward solutions.

“I guess I’m just I’m just looking forward to um being around people who are all working towards the same goal,” she said. “We all want the something and we’ll be able to compile our ideas to hopefully get there.” The Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation, formed in 2015, is a proud partner in helping solve one of the greatest problems facing its community.

“We recognize the urgency of this growing challenge,” said GWCHF President and CEO Ben Wehmeier. “That’s why the Foundation has made a significant, long-term commitment to youth wellbeing. We’re eager to work alongside young people — building their leadership and amplifying their voices — as we create a community where all of us can experience greater balance, belonging, and connection, while ensuring our youth are future ready.”