The group lost funding a year ago, but with new backing from the Clark County Mental Health and Recovery Board of Clark, Greene and Madison Counties, BATS has renewed energy and members, plus several ideas starting with a kickstarter event by invitation only for potential members on Aug. 18.
The current version is led by Addie Powell, a junior at Global Impact STEM Academy; Isaac Guest, a junior at Springfield High and Clark County CTC; and Emerson Babian, a Springfield High freshman. Beth Dixon, who works for WellSpring, is the adult adviser.
Along with their regular school workload, activities including sports, band and performing arts groups, the three students want to show what else can be accomplished when creative youths unite with positive intentions. Each has brought ideas on how to improve the community.
The key is to be creative and energetic, they said.
Powell has learned from her experience and said this time she sees what can be improved. She said she has gained organizational skills to carry out projects and see the vision through.
“We want to draw kids on creativity,” she said. “All humans want to be a part of something.”
Guest, inspired by his mom’s work as an emergency room nurse, recently attended a summer leadership camp and wants to use those skills. Performing in the youth musical at this year’s Summer Arts Festival, he also saw people struggling there and saw that as an area to help.
“People want to be involved in their community. We’re kids, but we can be a part of that,” Guest said.
Babian was involved in BATS at the tail end of the previous cycle, and because Ridgewood School had a service project program, he was inspired to continue that work. He led a project this past spring that donated bookshelves and books to needy Springfield families.
Among their goals to improve the Springfield community are:
-Prescription art, proposed by Powell. It would partner the Springfield arts community with mental health doctors to show how art therapy can work as an alternative for people trying to kick dependency issues.
These could range from tickets to a show, dancing or art classes. Families could also be involved such as a night at a theater or exploring a community attraction like the Westcott House.
-Partnering with Yellow Springs-based WYSO for a series of public service announcements on topics from mental health to substance abuse and more. The kids will be training in August and create the 90-second short messages in September to be aired after.
-A student-led film festival. Guest’s idea would challenge teens to create films with positive messages in 48 hours. Every film team would be required to incorporate specific props, lines and address behavioral health topics like smoking or vaping in forms such as a music video or stop-motion animation.
He’d like to see the films shown at a public event at a venue such as the State Theatre around the end of the year.
-Babian proposes acquiring a piano to be used as a piece of art that anybody can play, to give kids music lessons, to center a talent show around and kept at a public place. He said music is good for mental health, and the piano can be a symbol on which small businesses could put their logos or have a sponsorship.
The public can expect to see fliers and other reminders around the city and schools over the next few weeks about BATS projects. BATS had around 25 members at its peak, and that would be a goal for this time out.
“We want to be a diverse group with the same kids committed and dedicated, not just to come and go,” said Guest.
Babian said there’s sometimes a negative image by students of being involved in something but BATS will try to change that.
“It’s about being part of something bigger,” said Powell.
For more information, contact Beth Dixon at beth@wellspringfield.org or 937-206-1753.
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