Youth Voices During COVID-19: JLP Students Explore Mental Health, Milestones & Community Health
Updated: Sep 1
Aired: 2021 | Julia Lynn Productions Youth Media
During one of the most disruptive periods in modern education, Julia Lynn Productions (JLP) helped young people turn their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic into meaningful conversations about mental health, education, family wellness, and community health.
Working in partnership with BronxNet, Grant Associates, and the Academy for Careers in Television and Film High School (ACTVF), JLP youth participated in television interviews examining how the pandemic changed everyday life for students, families, and the professionals supporting their communities.
When High School Changed Overnight
For high school students, the pandemic meant much more than transitioning to virtual classes. Young people suddenly lost many of the experiences they had spent years anticipating—proms, graduations, celebrations, friendships, classroom interactions, and the opportunity to simply enjoy their final years of high school.
During the televised discussion, Annalya Reddick, a senior at the High School of Art and Design, interviewed Natalia Ortiz and Johnathan Z. about navigating high school during the pandemic.
The students spoke candidly about feeling disoriented and disconnected as familiar routines disappeared. Their conversation highlighted an important part of the pandemic story: the emotional impact of losing milestone experiences that help young people celebrate achievement, build relationships, and transition into adulthood.
Learning From Healthcare Professionals
The conversation also gave young people an opportunity to hear directly from healthcare professionals who were navigating the pandemic while supporting others.
Natalia Ortiz interviewed Sheryl White-Scott, MD, for a thoughtful conversation about the effects of COVID-19. Dr. White-Scott shared her perspective on how she personally managed the challenges of the pandemic while also helping others cope with its emotional and mental impact.
The interview offered students a valuable look at resilience from the perspective of a healthcare professional—someone who was experiencing many of the same uncertainties as the broader community while continuing to provide guidance, reassurance, and support to others.
Expanding the Conversation to Community Health
JLP's youth coverage went beyond the student experience.
Young participants also interviewed doctors, doulas, birth workers, and community health professionals to explore how COVID-19 affected mothers, babies, families, and communities.
These conversations introduced students to broader issues surrounding maternal health, mental wellness, access to care, pregnancy, childbirth, and the challenges families faced while navigating healthcare during an unprecedented public health crisis.
By connecting youth mental health with maternal and community health, the interviews demonstrated how a major crisis can affect generations differently while revealing how closely our individual well-being is connected to the health of our families and communities.
Youth Media With a Purpose
The 2021 television recordings demonstrate the power of JLP's approach to youth media education.
Students were not simply learning how to conduct interviews or appear on television. They were learning how to ask meaningful questions, listen to different perspectives, engage with professionals, investigate issues affecting their communities, and use media as a platform for storytelling and public awareness.
Through partnerships with schools, workforce organizations, community leaders, media outlets, and subject-matter experts, Julia Lynn Productions creates opportunities for young people to develop real-world skills while exploring issues that directly affect their lives.
The pandemic disrupted important moments for an entire generation of students. Through these interviews, JLP helped ensure that their experiences—and the experiences of the families and professionals supporting their communities—were documented and heard.
Watch the 2021 JLP television recordings:
Pandemic Youth Mental Health & High School Experience — Students discuss navigating their final years of high school during COVID-19.
Diverse Youth Programs & Birth Workers — Exploring maternal, family, and community health through conversations with birth workers.
Dr. White-Scott on COVID-19 — A healthcare perspective on the pandemic and its impact on communities.
Julia Lynn Productions continues to provide youth with opportunities to develop media, communication, workforce, and leadership skills while telling stories that matter.
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