WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. (WKBW) — We are shining the community spotlight, on an Amherst teen who is making her community a better place to live by starting her school's very first mental health committee.
7 News' Pheben Kassahun spoke with the teen and her family to find out how her compassion for her community started with a family health crisis.
"Take what you've been through and make good on it because there are so many negative things in the world that doesn't make sense to continue to propel that into it and you just go to be happy with what you have and you just got to make people see the good," Samantha Jay said.
Family dinners are always known to deepen familial bonds.
Gathering around the table, connecting with your loved ones and getting to know their trials and tribulations of the day.
For Samantha Jay and her family this family dinner hits a little different.
Back in 2018, her brother Thomas was diagnosed with brain cancer and had to go through intense and aggressive treatment.
Samantha's mom, Amy Velez said, "We were all fighting for his healing. Samantha as the eldest daughter stepped in as my right-hand. She always has been."
Amy Velez said it took a toll on the family.
"The community involvement was just overwhelming and Sam would see people in the community coming and lifting us up. I can see the wheels turning in her like, 'I can use what I love to do. I love to give back," Velez said,
However, this experience made Samantha stronger and in return motivated her to help those around her like the community did for her family.
"I really find issues like mental health and community building, as well as women's rights and racial awareness and clothing insecurity important," Samantha said.
Samantha created a Mental Health Committee at Amherst High School, where she attends school.
She was able to help raise $1,000 to provide resources to students in need.
Velez said, "She has this incredible innate ability to make people feel helped without making them feel like they are insecure about it."
Because of this, she is being recognized as a Chrusciki Champion by the restaurant owner of Sto Lat, Ania Duchon
"Honoring people who make great decisions and just go above and beyond to make someone's day, make someone smile and sometimes it's just little things," Sto Lat owner, Ania Duchon said.
"I really appreciate programs like this because it validates what I already see as her mom," Velez said.
Chrusciki Champions will be honored on a monthly basis.
To nominate a 'Champion', click here.
