‘be nice UDJ’ members focus on peer-to-peer support, take part in national conference on mental health and suicide awareness

DETROIT — A group of local students want to be part of the conversation about mental health for teenagers, and the world needs to hear what they have to say. 

“be nice UDJ” is a new club at University of Detroit Jesuit High School, a branch of “be nice,” a west Michigan organization that promotes mental health and suicide awareness. 

On Jan. 21, students from U of D Jesuit presented at a national video conference with mental health experts and clinicians, detailing experiences unique to high schoolers, especially in the age of remote learning and broken routines. 

Frank Blackman, a senior at U of D Jesuit and president of “be nice UDJ,” told Detroit Catholic students wanted to start the club after two classmates died of suicide in 2019, as well as the recent loss of a young alumnus from the class of 2018.

“A couple of years ago, we faced some pretty hard tragedies from a couple of our students, and that motivated me to start something,” said Blackman, who also is a member of the Cubs varsity football team and student senate. “There was a void in the mental space at U of D Jesuit, and we needed something to fill that void. Students didn’t feel like they had anywhere to go, or they didn’t trust counselors, teachers or parents, or even students for that matter; they might feel like they would be labeled or judged.” 

So Blackman formed a group of 12 students who would serve as peer-to-peer counselors, recognizing the signs of mental stress and working with counselors to provide support to their peers. 

“be nice UDJ” isn’t a normal school club emphasizing attendance at weekly meetings, but instead focuses on building a culture of awareness surrounding mental health at the all-boys school, providing for students who need a non-judgmental supporter in their corner. 

“U of D is an academically rigorous school. Sometimes students don’t know how to deal with the everyday pressures of trying to keep their grades up and focus on having a social life at the same time,” Blackman said. “We lack social interaction so much (this year); we’re constantly on our phones or devices, we can’t go outside — it’s a lot for students to deal with. We need to get creative with how we function as a club.” 

New to the U of D Jesuit schedule this year is a formation period when students, both in-person and through remote learning, can meet in the middle of the day with the groups or clubs they belong to on campus. 

“be nice UDJ” meets to discuss students who might need help, how they can raise awareness of mental health on campus and better ways to accompany students through the club’s four-step action plan: notice, invite, challenge and empower. 

“We wanted to create a kind of vocabulary where every student and staff member knows how to approach that student who needs help,” Blackman said. “Counselors, teachers or your best friend might not be the best person to go to. We don’t know all 900 kids at our school, but we want all 900 kids to feel comfortable enough to come talk to us about anything.” 

In a hyper-competitive environment such as U of D Jesuit, where excellence is expected in the classroom and on the athletic fields, it can be hard for young men to be vulnerable and talk about mental anxiety, Blackman said. 

“There’s a big stigma with mental health regarding men; men aren’t supposed to speak out or express their feelings to other people; that’s one of the huge issues,” Blackman said. “We felt U of D students didn’t have an outlet, they felt like they were going to feel labeled or judged for how they felt.” 

In January, “be nice” leaders from U of D Jesuit joined students from Royal Oak High School and Notre Dame Preparatory in Pontiac for the Kevin’s Song Equity and Equality in Suicide Prevention virtual conference.  

Kevin’s Song is a Michigan-based nonprofit founded in 2013 by John and Gail Urso to raise awareness about the causes of suicide, its prevalence in society and preventive measures. 

The virtual conference featured leading researchers, clinicians and suicide prevention advocates from Michigan and beyond addressing suicide prevention through a social justice lens and challenge existing biases. 

“be nice UDJ” members attended last year’s in-person conference, and this year, they were part of a virtual student panel to discuss how “be nice” programs are breaking the stigma surrounding mental health for younger people. 

“It was a great experience for me and the guys,” Blackman said. “It was really fun, but a great experience with some technical stuff and learning about what’s being discussed in the mental health field.” 

In addition to his work with “be nice UDJ,” Blackman is a member of the Just Peace Human Rights Council and the Black Awareness Society for Education (BASE).

After he graduates this spring, Blackman is considering a career in neuroscience or the mental health field. But he’s confident “be nice UDJ” has strong enough roots to sustain a lasting presence at the school.  

“I want ‘be nice UDJ’ to have a positive impact on all kids at the school,” Blackman said. “I think we’ve done that thus far, but I want that to continue with future generations, even after I graduate. I want to come back as an alum, 10 years from now, and still see the ‘be nice’ flag up on the wall, see the new leaders leading the club. I want see the group leave a lasting change at U of D.”