Students throughout the high school came together to create the Letters of Light club on May 8. They create cards and words of affirmation for those feeling alone in a mental health institution. Once a week, the students meet on Thursdays before school to connect with their peers and spread positivity through cards and drawings. The cards are also given to patients once a week to keep them feeling alive and seen.

The Letters of Light club started from a desire to bring kindness and real emotional support to people who often feel forgotten: those in psychiatric wards or mental health units. These teen patients do not receive as many reminders as they should, reminding them with cards that there are people who care and want to get to know them. They want to connect with them on a deeper level. The club is changing one day by one card at a time.

“People in psychiatric wards aren’t seen or treated with that much respect. This club proves differently by cards and drawings,” sophomore Avery Crikenberg said. The act of something so peaceful can make a massive impact on others.

One of the club members explained how her mom’s job as a nurse helped her understanding of the stigma around young mental health patients. “My mom is a nurse. Many Nurses would say they would never want to work in the mental health unit,” Chrikenberg said. That comment stuck with her and motivated her to get involved in the club. She believes patients deserve more care.

That is exactly the club’s goal is: to give compassion and connection. The student’s goal is not just to make cards and leave them at the front desk for the workers to give to them; they want to inspire hope and show these individuals that they matter. “I think receiving them shows that people care and can do it. It does get better. They are not forgotten,” Crikenberg said.

Junior Keegan Mathre, the leader of Letters of Light, explained why this club matters so much for teenagers.  “There is a lot of stigma around mental health,” she said. “It might be good to have some contact with people their own age.”

Each week before school starts, students meet before class to write messages on cards and draw art to show they care. These efforts may seem small, but there is a deeper meaning for those receiving them. Every card is meant to show compassion and true care. It is also not just an inspiration to the patients; it helps students in the club “connect with their peers,” senior Roman Sylvers said. It might not mean a lot to one person, but it is another person’s passion.

The club has a purpose to inspire. “The club inspires students to support others their age who are struggling a little bit. They bring positivity and love for all,” one student wrote in their notes. Mental health struggles among teens are increasing, and many students say it helps them to know they are making a difference even if it is just one card at a time.

Keegan also shared the club’s future goals. “The club is not about the present right now. It is also the future. The goal is to have students pair up with patients like buddies,” she said. One long-term vision includes developing one-on-one partnerships, where students could continue to build relationships with patients over time, acting as consistent sources of support.

“Start to partner with specific people in the inpatient treatment so everyone can have a buddy,” she added.

The Letters of Light club is still growing, but the passion behind it is clear. It is about students supporting one another and those outside their daily environment. It is about rewriting the way people view mental health—through kindness, attention and steady encouragement.

“Having that extra ‘We see you, we know you’re there,’” Cruckenberger said. “The club truly brings light. It is all about support and seeing them.”