The new school year has begun for many — and thanks to actor and singer Selena Gomez’s charity, the Rare Impact Fund, and Google’s philanthropic arm, more classrooms will be equipped to kick things off on a grounded, mindful note.
This week, Google.org and Gomez announced a $10 million Teen Mental Health Initiative to directly finance mental health-related projects created by high school teachers on DonorsChoose, a classroom crowdfunding platform. It’s a move that will affect about 1 million high schoolers and 10,000 educators across the country.
“As young people find their way through the world, it’s crucial that they get guidance in building healthy, positive, and productive mental health habits,” Gomez, a longtime mental health advocate, wrote in a blog post for Google.org. “Few people are in a better position to help do this than teachers.”
Following the announcement, Google.org will provide $500 to all eligible projects posted to DonorsChoose and give teachers $200 in credit when they complete one of the nonprofit’s mental health trainings.
The idea behind the initiative is simple but profound: help teachers better help students. “Mental well-being and academic achievement are inextricably tied,” Alix Guerrier, CEO of DonorsChoose, said in a statement. “Our recent research shows more than 70% of public school teachers are concerned about their students’ mental health.”
“It’s so important that teenagers have a safe space to build strong mental health habits. I try to make my classroom the place where they can ask hard questions and navigate tricky topics like personal identity, self worth and confidence,” added Aileen Gendrano Adao, a teacher and wellness leader at Eagle Rock High School in Los Angeles who has used DonorsChoose to fundraise for a variety of projects to support her students.
Though Gomez, who started her career on the hit ’90s children’s show Barney & Friends before going on to star in the Disney series Wizards of Waverly Place, didn’t have the traditional high school experience, she experienced many of the same mental health issues that any young person might.
Selena Gomez (center) hosting the inaugural Rare Impact Fund Benefit Supporting Youth Mental Health in 2023, with recipients of the Make a Rare Impact Youth Award, Adia Fadaei (left) and Seika Brown (right)
“I know that being a teenager can feel complicated and lonely. When I was younger, I had a hard time making sense of my emotions,” Gomez wrote in the blog post. “Once I got the support I needed, I realized I actually wasn’t alone. I also learned that, when it comes to mental health, knowledge is power. We have to give teens resources so that they can build strong mental health habits.”
The 32-year-old has been open about her mental health issues as an adult as well, sharing in 2020 that she’d been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Her 2022 documentary, Selena Gomez: My Mind and Me, offered viewers an honest look at her journey, including her struggle with the psychological side effects of the autoimmune disease lupus, and her decision to cancel the remainder of a 2016 tour to prioritize her mental health.
“No one should feel isolated in their mental health experiences, especially young people, who can be especially vulnerable to those struggles. Support is out there,” Gomez added. “And by standing together, we can make a real difference in teen mental health.”
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