When Mountain Home High student Ava Johnson saw how an injury kept her sister from playing sports, she wanted to raise awareness about mental health. 

She saw the effects on her sister, Isabelle, and their community — and how “one thing can really lead someone to go down a bad hole.”  

She wanted to reach as many people as possible in Mountain Home, so she started “You Are More,” a district-wide initiative that connects community members with mental health resources through student outreach. 

Friday marked the third annual You Are More Mountain Home fall festival. With around 1,200 attendees and vendors providing everything from face painting to rock-climbing and taco trucks, there was something for Mountain Home community members of all ages.

However, the fall festival is more than a seasonally themed celebration. It’s planned completely by junior high and high school students on the “You Are More” leadership team.

Along with the bounce houses and cotton candy, attendees also visited booths from St. Luke’s Hospital, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the Mountain Home Sheriff’s Office, and others to explore mental health resources in the community. 

“The primary focus is that kids can go play on the bouncy houses and the rock wall, while parents and other community members are connecting with local resource providers,” said Ashlie Lambrecht, community school coordinator at Bennett Mountain High.

Johnson contacted Stehvn Tesar, Bennett Mountain High principal, three years ago to help co-found the initiative. Tesar helped her collaborate with the Mountain Home School District to expand the program throughout the community and establish the leadership team.

You Are More has been the community’s “rally cry” since its inception in 2023, Tesar said. “We’re just trying to push that out in our community in hopes that people understand their worth and value in this life,” Tesar said.

Johnson was happy to see the success of this year’s festival. She and Isabelle worked the front booth, selling “You Are More” T-shirts. 

“After I graduated high school, I was a little bit nervous that it would fade away because I wasn’t actually in the mix anymore,” Johnson said. “Everyone rallied together to make sure You Are More continued.”

Mountain Home students continue the initiative by participating on its leadership team.

Mountain Home High senior Mable Modde volunteered at one of the bounce houses during the festival. A teacher encouraged her to join the leadership team.

“I think it’s good to cement that idea that you are more than your problems,” Modde said. 

She mentioned that the leadership team helps with different events throughout the year. One of her favorites is “Chalk the Walk,” where the team writes positive messages on the sidewalks at local schools. 

“Going to these elementary schools … builds in young minds that they matter and their minds matter,” Modde said.

Mountain Home High freshman Layton Cobos was drawn to the leadership team by personal experience. He also volunteered at Friday’s event. 

“I joined You Are More to get the message out because I know lots of people,” Cobos said. “So I joined it to hopefully be someone that they can talk to and another person to get the word out there.”