Deerfield Beach – October 30, 2026 -- The youth charity Be Strong has named 16 students and alumni to its first National Student Advisory Board, a group that will help steer the organization's Never Alone campaign on youth mental health and peer support.
The board includes middle school students, high school students, and young adults. Some are current Be Strong Student Representatives and others are alumni. Members come from Colorado, Louisiana, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Iowa, Connecticut, Mississippi, New York, Texas, Ohio, and Virginia.
Never Alone aims to make help easier to find
Be Strong launched Never Alone in 2025 to close the gap between people who need help and the support available to them. The campaign combines awareness, peer leadership, immediate assistance, and pathways to ongoing care, with the goal of reaching people before struggles become crises.
The new board will identify emerging needs, strengthen Be Strong's free programs and resources, and contribute to national awareness efforts. It will also help more young people recognize when and how to seek support for themselves or someone they care about.
Members bring experience from bullying to disability inclusion
Board members have backgrounds in student government, healthcare advocacy, community service, disability inclusion, athletics, the arts, and grassroots initiatives. Some have personal experience with bullying and isolation.
Angel Helton of Kentucky founded a We Dine Together chapter in high school. "I always used to say I had a megaphone and I want to use it to amplify the unheard," Helton said.
Anna Pollpeter of Iowa plans to expand national awareness and build partnerships with other student organizations to prevent bullying. Thirteen-year-old Joseph Petraro-Hyppolite of New York says Be Strong inspired him to help other young people find the same support.
CEO says students will connect local work to national action
Be Strong CEO and Chair Ashleigh E. Cromer said the charity has spent 11 years watching young people lead when given the tools and opportunity. She said the board's voices will help the organization reach more young people and ensure that asking for help leads to meaningful support.
The board is meant to link local student leadership with national action. Be Strong says its student network reaches communities in all 50 states.
Members will also have opportunities for mentorship, collaboration, and educational, personal, and professional development.