MEET THE MINDS BEHIND MINDS MATTER
STEPHANIE ALBAÑA
St. Andrew's Priory School
After months of hard work with the best team ever, I'm so proud to present Minds Matter to Hawaiʻi. Seeing this project blossom from a concept to a full-on event with multiple partnerships and community engagement is the most rewarding thing ever. I'm so excited to see how things proceed from here!
JULIANA SHANK
Punahou High School
I’m excited to be a project with such great teammates! Thanks Stephanie, Olivia, Aria, and Brandon. I hope that our project can make a difference in improving mental health for our community and making someone's day.
OLIVIA YOSHIDA
Sacred Hearts Academy
I'm a current Senior at Sacred Hearts Academy who loves anything biology-related. In my free time, I like going hiking with my friends and traveling (when I can). I'm passionate about teen mental health and wellness because the issue has affected people I know. I also think that talking about mental health issues is the first step towards getting help, which is why open conversations are so important.
ARIA KANESHIGE
Christian Academy
I’m in my Junior year at Christian Academy. I enjoy watching movies, listening to music, and dancing ballet. I am the youngest of three siblings and love spending time with my family and friends. I decided to do this project because I’ve always had a heart for teens struggling with mental health issues. This project gave me the opportunity to think how we as teens ourselves could try to bring awareness and help in a creative practical way.
BRANDON MENDOZA
Moanalua High school
Alooooooo-ha! I am a current junior. I love music, I'm in my school's music department as a clarinetist and pianist. Outside of school, I'm normally found reading a book in the library or drinking coffee in a cafe. This project hits close to home because several of my young family members have had experience with suicidal and depressive thoughts, and I realized I wanted to take action to help them. I hope you enjoy Minds Matter! (By the way, that's my sister to the left of me!)