Half of young people felt hopeless in some Pittsburgh suburbs, but community assets can feed optimism

From left Kylie Kurta, 16, Jameela Jenkins, 14, Victoria Lauterbach, 17, and Charlee Sommers, 14, sit for a portrait during a SAVE Promise Club meeting at West Mifflin Area High School, on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. The club is working to enhance mental health support and community to the school. (Photo by Stephanie Strasburg/PublicSource) Where transportation options, services and institutional supports abound, youth hopelessness was less prevalent. With two in five high school students reporting mental health difficulties, enhancing community resources could be a lifesaving proposition. “PublicSource is an independent nonprofit newsroom serving the Pittsburgh region.& Sign up for our free newsletters.” by Amber Frantz, PublicSource Lauren Rowe’s art room at West Mifflin Area High School is more than just a place for drawing and painting; it serves as a safe space for students to talk openly about their mental health struggles.& A lifelong resident of West Mifflin and educator for 17 years, Rowe has witnessed firsthand the evolving social dynamics and challenges teenagers face daily. Now as the faculty sponsor for the SAVE Promise Club, she is helping to train students to make their school a safer place. “Teens are in charge of a lot more than people know,”...