Youth First Highlights Emily Bernhardt – Social Work Week 2022

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Emily Bernhardt, LSW – Youth First Social Worker at Holy Cross Catholic School, St. James Catholic School, St. Joseph Catholic School, and Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic School in Gibson County

Q: What called you to become a social worker?

A: I met with my Youth First Social Worker when I was in high school and she had such a strong impact on me. I knew I wanted to be able to have that same impact and be able to help people in the same ways she helped me.  

Q: What is the most rewarding part of your job?

A: When a student shares the ways they feel I have helped them to grow.

Q: Which mental health tools/strategies do you think are the most impactful or effective for students?

A: Having healthy coping skills and a strong support system.

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Youth First Highlights Ashley Manship – Social Work Week 2022

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Ashley Manship, LSW – Youth First Social Worker at Paoli Jr./Sr. High School and Throop Elementary in Orange County

Q: What called you to become a social worker?

A: I’ve always had the strong desire to help and advocate for others. 

Q: What is the most rewarding part of your job?

A: Working with children and hearing/seeing positive outcomes and praises they give to me. 

Q:  What does mental health mean to you?

A:  Mental health means all of you. How is all of you doing? How are you handling your life, your relationships, your school/career life, your physical health? 

Q: Which mental health tools/strategies do you think are the most impactful or effective for students?

A: Building a trusting relationship through engagement, empathy, reflective listening, and guidance.  

Q: In what ways has the Covid-19 pandemic affected youth mental health?

A: Covid-19 has slowed the world down for them. It has taken away opportunities for them to grow, learn, and have essential social experiences. Some students have been in school for 2 years and have never eaten their breakfast in a cafeteria or been on a field trip.

Q: How has social work influenced the way you view younger generations?

A: Social work is all about meeting the client where they are. When working with the younger generations you are constantly viewing the world through their eyes. It keeps me in the realization that they have real and heavy conflicts/problems that have major impacts on them. 

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Youth First Highlights Jessie Laughlin – Social Work Week 2022

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Jessie Laughlin, LSW – Youth First Social Worker at Edgewood Junior High School in Monroe County

Q: What called you to become a social worker?

A: I started college as an education major. During early field experience, I crossed paths with a school social worker. In learning more about their role, I knew that could be a great fit for me as I’ve always been an advocate for both mental health and education. Being a social worker allows me to work in so many different capacities; counselor, advocate, educator, community resource.

Q: What is the most rewarding part of your job?

A: It is an honor when a student lets you into their world. It’s really special to see a moment when a student overcomes an obstacle, finding and using their natural strengths and putting into play the skills they’ve been working hard on. I love that I get to be part of nurturing a student’s mental health so they can best learn and grow. 

Q: What does mental health mean to you?

A: Every being has mental health, and it’s complex and changes day to day. The stigma around mental health is really unfortunate, and I hope that one day everyone will treat mental health like physical health; just another part of our holistic self-care. 

Q: How has social work influenced the way you view younger generations?

A: I have seen the power and change that comes with youth having at least one positive adult in their life, who cares for them and is looking out for them. That one person can make such a difference in their outcomes. 

Younger generations are eager to learn about the world, movements, injustice, and change. I’m really hopeful their awareness, engagement, and discussion surrounding mental health is moving our outlook and treatment of mental health in the right direction. Youth mental health seems to follow trends and is ever changing, depending on what is going on in the world and our culture. 

Q: Which mental health tools/strategies do you think are the most impactful or effective for students?

A: I am a big fan of mindfulness strategies. It’s helpful and effective for most people in many different situations; self-care, attention/focus concerns, stress and anxiety, self-esteem, anger, etc. 

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Assisting Your Teen with the Dreaded “Senioritis”

By Angel Wagner, LSW – March 2, 2022 –

The first semester of your child’s senior year of high school is complete. You log on to the school’s grading system expecting to see the normal A and B grades your child always receives.

However, this time the grades are different. You see Cs, Ds, or maybe even failing grades. Senioritis can appear in many forms, such as declining grades, missing assignments, or loss of interest in participating in classes.

When these signs of senioritis show up, your immediate reaction might be anger towards your child. As a parent, it can be difficult to understand how a good student can suddenly start failing tests and assignments. Your instinct might be to punish your child by grounding them from their games, phone, or even their car until their grades improve.

Before you react, take a moment to listen to your child. They may have fears or a lack of motivation that you don’t know about. Many high school seniors become unmotivated as the amount of schoolwork becomes overwhelming. They may have fears of graduating and moving to the next step. Having someone there to listen to these fears can help them figure out what they need to do to get through this difficult transition.

No one should stop a marathon on the last lap. Though there may be just a little left to go in the school year, that last semester may feel impossible to some students, just like the last lap of a marathon when a runner has already gone twenty-something miles by the end of the race. Stopping before the end may sound so much better than finishing at some point. Provide that motivation for your child to keep going.

You can help your child see the finish line more clearly by working with them to create a schedule. Between the usual homework, looming finals, college and scholarship applications, and extracurricular activities, your high school senior has a lot on their plate! They may want to just forget all their stress and concentrate on fun times with the friends they may never see again.

Some students have stated to school staff that they need structure in their day, otherwise they’d just prioritize fun things all the time. Sitting down with your child to create a schedule of fun and work will show them they can find enough time in the week for both.

The last year of high school may perhaps be the hardest year of all for some students. Remember that your child is not lazy. They are going through a normal phase of adolescence that many of us may forget about as we deal with the difficulties in our adult lives. Listening to their problems, giving motivation, and helping them stick to a schedule are simple ways that you can help your child finish strong.

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