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After the suicide of their son Miles, Kristen and Jeffrey Roberts started the Miles Jeffrey Roberts Foundation (MJRF) and organized the MJRF Mental Health Champions program at Skyline High School in Ann Arbor. The program, which aims to engage youth athletes and support their mental health, has already conducted 15 mental health presentations for 380 student athletes, and 12 students have reached out to the Champions team for additional mental health resources. Currently in a three-year pilot phase, the program will expand to Ann Arbor’s Pioneer High School this fall.
Mental Health Champions at Skyline High School: The Miles Jeffrey Roberts Foundation Initiative
In 2017, Kristen and Jeffrey Roberts suffered the loss of their son, Miles, who died by suicide at 15. Today, they honor Miles by combating mental health stigma through the Miles Jeffrey Roberts Foundation (MJRF), a nonprofit organization that supports peer-to-peer mentoring programs in Ann Arbor area schools. Their focus is on aiding student athletes, like Miles, who was a member of the Skyline varsity hockey team. They’ve recently launched the MJRF Mental Health Champions program aimed at fostering emotional support among student athletes.
The Champions program was developed to help students realize when they need additional mental or emotional support. Kristen Roberts says, “Seeing that that’s almost a commonality, almost a suicide warning sign, can help others to see when someone is in crisis.”
According to Roberts, the program has conducted 15 mental health presentations to 380 student athletes in 2022, resulting in 12 students seeking help from the Champions team for additional mental health resources.
The Champions team consists of Melissa Schmidt, a clinical therapist and Skyline Men’s and Women’s Golf Coach, Skyline High School Psychologist and Field Hockey Coach Andy Nalepa, and U-M Depression Center Outreach and Education Coordinator Will Heininger. They work with over 200 student athletes and 15+ coaches, aiding students in having open conversations about mental health.
Team member Nalepa says, “Any time we can interface with students and provide resources to support them, I am on board with it.” Schmidt affirms the importance of understanding student athletes’ unique struggles, stating “Deep down, they’re still adolescents who are trying to grow as people, and we want to give them the tools and words to ask for help.”
Heininger emphasizes the importance of sharing personal mental health experiences to combat stigma. As a former U-M student and football player who battled depression and anxiety, he shares his story to offer support to high school athletes.
The program has been met with positive feedback from the students, with some even starting their own mental health initiatives. Skyline student Jude Carlson raised over $50,000 for the Champions program through a fundraiser called Mullets for Miles.
The team acknowledges the various barriers—like transportation, insurance, and stigma—that can prevent students from receiving mental health support. To address these challenges, the Champions program aims to ensure that every student has at least one trusted adult they can reach out to when struggling.
The Champions program is currently in a three-year pilot phase, with plans to expand to Ann Arbor’s Pioneer High School this fall. Roberts stresses the importance of learning from their son’s tragedy to benefit others, stating, “The ripple effect and getting a sense of that … gives you a lot of things to think about on how you can try to do better for others.”
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