Episode Details

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In this special episode of The Mental Health Janitors Podcast, Sgt Q sits down with eighth-grade student leaders from Mill Creek Middle School’s Class of 2030 for an honest conversation about mental health, leadership, and what it means to make a difference right now.

These young leaders share the initiatives they care about, including clean water, teacher appreciation, mental health awareness, human trafficking awareness, and creating a stronger school community. But the conversation quickly goes deeper as the students open up about friendships, family communication, stress, grief, emotional expression, and what they wish adults better understood about teen mental health.

Sgt Q also shares lessons from his own experiences with homelessness, mental health struggles, advocacy, and imposter syndrome, reminding the students that leadership does not begin someday in the future. It begins with the choices we make and the way we treat people today.

In This Episode

2:04 – Why these students wanted to use their voices to make a difference
2:17 – Student-led initiatives focused on clean water, teacher appreciation, mental health, and human trafficking awareness  
6:09 – How helping others can positively affect our own mental health
14:30 – Why young people need safe spaces to express what they are feeling
12:09 – The danger of constantly bottling up emotions
21:50 – What teens wish parents and adults understood about their mental health
23:17 – How family patterns around emotions can carry from one generation to the next
22:29 – Why listening without judgment can make such a difference
26:29 – The importance of giving young people grace and spending meaningful time with them
17:56 – How even a small conversation, smile, hug, or high five can impact someone’s day
18:58 – Sgt Q’s experience facing imposter syndrome and other emotional “giants”
20:54 – The power our words can have in helping someone see themselves differently

A Message for Adults

One of the strongest themes throughout the conversation is simple: be present and listen.

The students share that sometimes they do not need someone to immediately fix the problem. They need someone who will sit with them, hear what they are feeling, and create a space where they can speak honestly without feeling judged or dismissed.

As one student puts it, small conversations can have a huge impact.

Leadership Starts Now

These students are already showing that leadership is not about age or position.

It can look like helping someone feel included, supporting a teacher, standing up for an important cause, raising awareness, checking on a friend, or simply choosing to treat someone with kindness.

Their voices are a reminder that young people do not have to wait until adulthood to make an impact.

Episode Dedication

This episode is dedicated to the memory of Savali Kraft, an Air Force veteran and member of the Bulldog community.

Sgt Q closes the episode by honoring her life, service, and the efforts of her family and community to advocate for her during a serious illness.

The episode begins with a quote shared in her memory:

“If life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, give life a thousand reasons to laugh.”

Content Note

This episode includes conversations about mental health, suicide loss, grief, human trafficking, homelessness, family conflict, and emotional distress. Some topics may be difficult for certain listeners.

About The Mental Health Janitors

The Mental Health Janitors Podcast is hosted by Aaron “Sgt Q” Quinonez and is focused on helping people clean up the mess in their head through real conversations about mental health, resilience, leadership, and personal growth.

The mission is t