Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis: How a St. Louis Teenâs Mental Health Advocacy Led to Super Bowl LX
St. Louis, MO â Jaelyn, a dedicated teen from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis â Bethalto Club, is heading for an amazing experience. This Sunday, February 8, 2026, she will attend Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, California. Her outstanding leadership and passion for mental health advocacy earned her this ticket to the big game. In fact, her work has already made a meaningful impact on her community.
Jaelyn’s journey to the Super Bowl started when she joined the Boys & Girls Clubs of Americaâs Think, Learn, Create Change (TLC) program. This initiative empowers teens to advocate for social justice issues that are important to them. Through a partnership with the NFLâs Inspire Change initiative, the program also introduced the Inspire Change Badge Challenge. This challenge encourages young leaders to create and run real-world community projects.
Because of her hard work, Jaelyn was selected as one of three âChampions of Changeâ from across the country. She joins Sinai from Boys & Girls Clubs of the Gila River Indian Community and LJ from Boys & Girls Clubs of West Alabama. Consequently, she will enjoy an all-expenses-paid trip to Super Bowl weekend. The trip includes game tickets and access to exclusive events like the Super Bowl Experience.
Jaelynâs Project: âWho You Are Mattersâ
At the Boys & Girls Club of Bethalto, Jaelyn and her peers developed a powerful TLC project. They called it âWho You Are Mattersâ because it focuses on positive self-talk and mental health awareness. The project featured several key elements:
- A Positive Affirmation Wall: This created a space where kids could share uplifting messages to build confidence and self-worth.
- Mental Health Awareness Bracelets: The group distributed these bracelets to spread the message of mental wellness.
- Community Collaboration: Additionally, they partnered with other Boys & Girls Clubs in St. Louis to expand the project during summer camps.
Through these efforts, Jaelynâs team gave young people valuable tools. These tools help them prioritize their mental wellness. They also gained the confidence to advocate for themselves and for others.
In Jaelynâs Words
Jaelyn shared her thoughts on the importance of her work and her excitement for the Super Bowl.
- âMy friends and I at the Club picked mental health for our TLC project because we think itâs something that most people donât talk about enough.â
- âWe want our community to know that if theyâre struggling, there are people to talk to. For instance, we set up a positive affirmation board at the Club for kids to add to â my favorite affirmation to tell myself is that Iâm confident, which helps me be more outgoing.â
- âItâs important for teens to speak up because we have a voice. Participating in TLC and being a youth advocate has given me more confidence. I was surprised when I won the Inspire Change Challenge and found out I was going to the Super Bowl. Iâm so excited to bring my mom!â
NFLâs Commitment to Youth Advocacy
Anna Isaacson, the Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility at the NFL, emphasized the league’s dedication to empowering young leaders.
- âThe NFL Foundation has a responsibility to use the power of our platform to create opportunity for the next generation.â
- âThrough our longstanding partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America, weâre empowering young people to be advocates for themselves and their communities. Together, weâre helping youth build a champion mindset rooted in confidence, leadership, and perseverance to shape their futures on or off the field.â
A Generation of Champions
The Boys & Girls Clubs of America works with corporate partners like the NFL to create opportunities for young people. Specifically, these initiatives help them engage in sports, wellness, and leadership development. The goal is to inspire the next generation of leaders, both on and off the field.
To learn more about these programs, you can visit www.bgca.org/about-us/a-generation-of-champions.
Ultimately, Jaelynâs story shows the power of youth advocacy and community projects. As she travels to Super Bowl LX, she carries the pride of her community with her. She proves that when young people have the right tools to lead, they can truly change the game.
#MentalHealthMatters #YouthLeadership #SuperBowlLX
