So, what are your plans for after graduation? Some high school students might cringe at the question, but not Maison Herbert, a Salem High School senior who is attending Syracuse University in the fall. As a National Honor Society member, not only does Maison have the grades to call ’Cuse home for the next four years, but he also has the extracurriculars that solidified his acceptance to the top-ranked college.
With a passion for running that has spanned most of his life, Maison is a student-athlete, consistently ranked in cross-country and track and field. When he’s not logging miles, he enjoys performing arts and acting on stage for high school shows including his most recent role in the musical, Hadestown: Teen Edition – a mythical Greek love story with a folk and jazz soundtrack.
Where most students battle stage fright before a performance or nerves before a race, Maison channels that energy. “It’s hard to explain,” he said. “I always have some nerves, but I use that to propel me. Once I get onstage, or hear the starting sound for a track meet, that anxiety all goes away.”
Anxiety is just one mental health condition that has been artistically explored in Magnify Voices, the annual expressive arts contest for students in grades 5 through 12 presented by the New Hampshire Children’s System of Care. Now in its eighth year, the initiative aims to elevate youth voices, reduce stigma and inspire meaningful change in support of youth mental health. Last year, Maison wrote and directed “Visibility,” a film depicting the hidden challenges some face when struggling with mental health, which was recognized as a top-12 finalist.
“You never know what is really going on with people no matter how they act,” he said. “I wanted to portray someone who seemed happy but wasn’t really okay. It’s not just the people who show sadness who need help. School can especially take a toll on people, so I wanted to show how that routine and those responsibilities can leave an impact.”
Off the screen, Maison participates in National Honor Society community outreach and recently helped raise mental health awareness by wearing yellow and posting supportive messages around his school.
“Doing stuff like that can really impact the community, even if you don’t think it does,” he said. “If it only helps one person, or if it’s really a small impact, it’s something that gets students involved and shows that we care.”
This year, submitting to Magnify Voices is no longer required in Chris Hazel’s media class at Salem High — but Maison submitted anyway, this time with a film exploring how grief affects a student’s mental health.
Magnify Voices was established in 2019 to honor Children’s Mental Health Awareness Month, a national effort that is recognized during the month of May to highlight the crucial need for positive mental health for a child’s healthy development.
“Participating in Magnify Voices has been really impactful,” said Maison. “Everyone has a story to tell and working on this project, writing the script and then seeing it go on to the actual video, has been super rewarding.”
This year’s contest received 76 submissions, including participation from students at nearly 30 schools around the Granite State. A celebration event will be held May 27 at the Kingswood Arts Center in Wolfeboro, where all submissions will be on display. Twelve finalists will be announced along with the presentation of the People’s Choice Award.
Submissions will then travel to exhibits and events around the state — carrying the stories, and the students behind them, to wider audiences.
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