Pictures from Mary Ellen Henderson’s ‘Stress Less Week’
2024 Healthy Kids Grantee Makes an Impact
In August 2024, the Community Foundation awarded the Falls Church Education Foundation a Healthy Kids Grant. This funding then went to a student-led movement called Henderson Minds Matter, which seeks to change the culture around mental health and prevent teen suicide. Henderson Minds Matter encourages help-seeking behaviors, promotes social connectedness and prosocial behavior, and cultivates self-care and healthy habits.
Suzanne Hladky, Falls Church Education Foundation’s Executive Director, first discovered the forwarded it on to Colleen Hoover, a social worker at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School. Recognizing the grant’s potential, they asked, “what can we do at the school to mirror and exemplify the values of the Healthy Kids grants?” Healthy Kids Grants are awarded each year to individual public schools in Northern Virginia that implement a program or strategy to encourage better nutrition, more physical activity, or better mental health among their student body during the school year. In researching an answer, the Mary Ellen Henderson team learned about the work of nationwide nonprofit organization , Our Minds Matter.
That group’s goal – “a day when no teen dies by suicide” – resonated with the middle school staff, and they decided to establish something similar to the nonprofit for their students. As a long-time advocate of mental health, Colleen knew about the stigmas associated with a diagnosis, saying “Mental health isn’t always the cool thing to talk about.” Therefore, Our Minds Matter’s values and student leadership structure would be crucial to spark the necessary cultural change around mental health. With that in mind, the team applied for and received a $2,000 grant from the Healthy Kids Grant to start Henderson Minds Matter. The group offered a platform for Colleen to connect with students she sees irregularly and provides
access for every student to engage.
Since the program’s founding, challenges and opportunities alike have sprung up. For example, Colleen and her co-counselor Tara Filmyer, faced the challenge of accommodating students with after-school commitments, such as extracurricular activities or responsibilities like caring for younger siblings. . To ensure all students could still participate, Colleen restructured the club schedule. She now runs three consecutive sessions during the school day, twice a month—each tailored to a specific grade level—so that every student has an opportunity to attend without conflict.
Programming and activity ideas have also taken inspiration from the Our Minds Matter curriculum, geared toward helping students develop their social connectiveness, self-care, and healthy coping skills. For example, students of diverse backgrounds are breaking down barriers and fostering an inclusive environment for each other by creating friendships and going to lunch together. This results from the positive influence of their leadership roles and builds their anticipation for upcoming club meetings.
Furthermore, Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School celebrated a school-wide campaign, called "We Belong Week" as a result of Community Foundation grant funding. This spirit week’s programming involved a stress relief wall, which students designed and picked a place for, for which they filled out a sticky note with a health strategy. Each day of the campaign had a different theme (Monday Mindfulness Day, Movement Tuesday, Wellness Wednesday, and Therapy Dog Thursday) so that students could practice different forms of health and wellness.
As a school social worker, Colleen’s responsibilities can prevent her from seeing all of the school’s students. However, Henderson Minds Matter allows her to not only meet but also identify them as individuals, not just students in her office. When asked what her advice would be to other schools following Mary Ellen Henderson’s footsteps, Colleen says, “The more people to help you plan the program, the better the club will be.”
Give Access to Increased Exercise, Better Nutrition, and Mental Health Support
Every year, Healthy Kids Grants are awarded to public schools across Northern Virginia that implement programming to improve nutrition, physical activity, or mental health among their student body. As highlighted in our 2025 report, Health and Safety of Children and Youth in Northern Virginia, there is a deeply concerning trend in youth mental health across the region. In 2023, 10% of high school students and 15% of middle school students reported skipping school because they felt unsafe—a reality felt most acutely among Hispanic/Latino youth. We all share a responsibility to ensure that every child in our community feels heard, safe, and supported.
These grants are possible through support from The Permanent Fund for Northern Virginia, our endowment that supports critical needs throughout the region. Explore our website to learn more and make a donation today.
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