Idaho high schoolers learn to lead campus mental health efforts at Boise State summit

Idaho high school students spent the day at Boise State University learning how to become mental health leaders on their own campuses as part of the BroncoBOLD program.

Students from high schools throughout Idaho participated in this year’s BroncoBOLD High School Ambassador Summit. The program teaches students how to launch a mental health campaign at their school while also giving them tools to become mental health advocates on their campuses.

“One of our goals with BroncoBOLD is to really reach all corners of Idaho and really spread the awareness and that’s something that we are so excited to be a part of,” said Sarah Campbell, a Boise High School advisor.

BroncoBOLD held its first high school summit in 2023 with four schools participating. The program has since expanded to 20 participating high schools, including first-time participants Melba, Camas County, Homedale and Skyview.

Ezra Hamlin, a Centennial High School ambassador, said the program’s message connects directly to students’ daily lives and relationships.

“I think if I was negative minded and I’m just always angry and I don’t have good mental health and I’m not looking to better my mental health then I’d just be a worse teammate and I don’t get to be a light like I try to be on the basketball team and on the tennis team and to the people who surround me,” Hamlin said.

What started as a small student-led effort inside Boise State athletics has grown into a statewide movement. Charlie Farris, a BroncoBOLD ambassador at Centennial High School, said the program’s reach has expanded significantly.

“The first year that I was in BroncoBOLD, there were six total high schools and now they’ve expanded to 20. The impact is just way more broad with BroncoBOLD and I think getting to reach more people to hear about BroncoBOLD and what it’s about that’s really good for honestly just the state of Idaho,” Farris said.

BroncoBOLD was built around three goals: reducing stigma, raising awareness and building resilience. Organizers said the summit is part of the effort to bring more Idaho high schools into that vision.

To learn more about BroncoBOLD.