Over the week, we assisted the North Carolina Governor's Office and other executive departments. I had an amazing experience networking with policy advisors in departments such as NCDHHS and NCDPS. Personally, during my week, I worked on developing a policy for NCDHHS that adressed a lack of mental health resources and awareness for local health departments in rural counties and worked on a service project that helped part of our state.

For my project, I planned to give back to the hard-working people of our great state of NC through initiatives that help promote and support good health and well-being. I thought about how I could use my prior affiliations with the Salisbury Veterans Affairs Medical Center, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention NC Public Policy Committee, and Cabarrus County Youth Commission to good use. I realized that I wanted to focus more on mental health and nutrition, and combine that with my interest in policy! I coordinated with the Chair of the NC Public Policy Committee for AFSP and wanted to use my knowledge and connections to good use. I also worked with the head of the South Charlotte VA Clinic's voluntary service department to plan how I could help them with mental health, nutrition, and wellness!

The VA and Charlotte/Mecklenberg First Responders had their Queen City Collects event where first responders collected hundreds of donations for veterans from around Charlotte. I was able to represent the youth program on local television positively at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg EMS HQ during this event!

As a committee member for NC AFSP, I helped write a proclamation for Governor Roy Cooper and helped write a resolution for the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners. I used my connections as a Governor's Page and Cabarrus County Youth commissioner to get both the proclamation and resolution signed! I volunteered at the Salisbury VA Medical Center for 128 hours this summer, where I was able to create a project that provided nutrition, mental health, and healthy living resources to veterans. I also helped the VA with organizing their closet of donated supplies for veterans in need, helping make around 300 hygiene kits. I’ve helped our VA with their Queen City Collects event where first responders collected hundreds of donations for veterans from around Charlotte. I was able to represent the youth program on local television positively at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg EMS HQ. As a teen leader for the program, I've helped set up the 2024 Summer Youth Program. I’ve shown my fellow teen volunteers and a few adult volunteers around the VA how they can help serve the veterans.

We were successfully able to impact veterans, pass our resolution in Cabarrus County, and get our proclamation signed by Governor Roy Cooper! I want to thank Governor Roy Cooper; the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners; Dr. Robert Rominger, Chair of the AFSP NC Public Policy Committee; and Ms. Kimberly Davis, head of the South Charlotte VA Clinic's voluntary service department; for making this work possible!