- Student-led “Spring Towards Peace” campaign kicks off with school assemblies and real conversations.
- April 19 event includes a 5K Race Against Violence and a community festival at the Wakulla Community Center.
- Supported by the Wakulla Rotary Club, with proceeds going to Futures Without Violence.
- Watch the video to learn how you can get involved with this campaign
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
When students at Wakulla High School saw their community facing difficult conversations around mental health and violence, they decided to do something about it.
That’s how Spring Towards Peace was born. It's a student-led campaign focused on healing, awareness, and action.
Organized by Wakulla High’s Interact Club with support from the Wakulla Rotary Club, the campaign kicked off with assemblies across schools in Wakulla County. Students wore green to show support for violence prevention and heard from mental health professionals, law enforcement, and even survivors of violence. The goal: get young people talking and ensure they know where to turn for help.
“Prevention really stood out to us and youth mental health awareness,” one student said during the assembly kickoff.
McKenna Sanders, vice president of the Interact Club, says that open conversations are at the heart of their mission.
“Having these hard conversations and confronting our grief head on, and confronting these things plaguing our community—and not shying away from them—is really beneficial to everyone,” Sanders said.
Club President Sophia Kamal added that the issue hits close to home.
“I’ve had my own struggles with mental health,” Kamal said. “And I know being afraid to speak out about it is really hard because it’s not talked about enough… so we’re trying to make people feel comfortable.”
The second half of Spring Towards Peace takes place Saturday, April 19, starting with the Race Against Violence 5K at the Wakulla CommunityCenter. The race begins at 10:00 a.m., and participants are encouraged to wear campaign shirts and walk past signs with facts, support resources, and messages of hope. Registration fees from the 5K will directly support the national nonprofit Futures Without Violence.
Immediately after the race, the celebration continues where a community-wide festival will bring people together for a good cause. Expect food trucks, live music from local bands, dance team performances, games, and booths run by Wakulla High student clubs. Local organizations will also be on hand with information on mental health services, domestic violence resources, and ways to get involved.
The campaign wouldn’t be possible without collaboration. Alongside the Interact Club, the Wakulla Rotary Club played a key role in helping students organize the campaign, coordinate resources, and secure funding.
Local sponsors have also stepped up to support the cause. So far, nearly $4,000 has been raised.
90% of all proceeds will go directly to Futures Without Violence, while the remaining 10% will help fund future student-led projects by the Interact Club.
From assemblies to action, Wakulla’s youth are showing that change starts with them and they’re not just hoping for a better future, they’re building it.
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