In 2018, approximately 44,000 kids in NH were diagnosed with depression.
Charlie was elected by over 1,000 fifth grade students in New Hampshire to be their 2021 Kid Governor.
Depression hurts, but you don't need to feel ashamed and you don't have to do this alone!
Raising Awareness About Childhood Depression – Charlie Olsen, NH Kid Governor
My name is Charlie Olsen and I was recently elected the 2021 New Hampshire Kid Governor. During my campaign, I ran on the platform of battling childhood depression. Forty four thousand kids struggle with depression and many are afraid to talk about it. To make matters worse this year, the COVID lockdowns are creating more isolation for children and that 44,000 number is skyrocketing. Many kids don’t know who to turn to for help, or even worse, they are afraid of what people will think of them. This is because depression has a negative stigma associated with it.
Kids aren’t afraid to tell their parents that they skinned their knee, but they feel ashamed to tell an adult that their brain isn’t working quite right. My goal is to fix that and raise awareness that childhood depression is real and most importantly, kids don’t have to do this alone.
I have a plan to help. First, I want to create fundraisers like golf tournaments and road races or triathlons to raise money to help get the word out about childhood depression. Secondly, I want to create a mentor program to help kids get someone to talk to about how they are feeling. Thirdly, I want to work work with the NH Institute of Politics to run fun events that will raise awareness about the important issue of childhood depression.
What is New Hampshire’s Kid Governor?
New Hampshire’s Kid Governor® (NHKG) is a national award-winning civics program for 5th graders created by the Connecticut Democracy Center. This ground-breaking approach to civics education immerses students in learning about state government, elections and voting, and civic participation through a real-life election for their state’s Kid Governor.
You can learn more about this great program at the official NH Kid Governor Web site.
How can I help or get involved?
We are still working on getting Charlie’s program off the ground. In the meantime, any requests from the media or requests for help can be directed to Luane Genest at the NH Kid Governor office.
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