There's some good news about Utah teens and their mental health. Data from 2025 shows an improvement in mental health and decreased substance use.
The conversation around mental health has shifted and more parents are having open conversations with their kids about mental health.
Simple things like having family dinner together, building healthy screen habits, creating strong relationships with family and their community helps with the loneliness, distress and disconnection.
The team at USU Extension is also helping through a cool program this summer. Sadie Wilde, USU Extension Assistant Professor, joined usu to tell us about it.
It's called Skyward: Recalibrating Life Under the Stars and it's a free overnight camp for kids ages 12-18 throughout Utah in certified dark sky locations.
The curriculum is a mix of astronomy and mental health, which is a really innovative and unique approach.
Sadie says when you're trying to see the Milky Way or get the full view of the night sky, you can't look at your phone or any bright light for about 20 minutes to let your eyes adjust.
That plays perfectly into the idea of giving teens a meaningful break from their screens and social media, part of which will be through some guided reflections and grounding work.
The camps are all over the state and strategically scheduled over new moons to give these kids a shot at seeing the Milky Way - from East Canyon in Morgan to Snow Canyon in St. George and plenty of places in between.
There are over 15 different camps to choose from, thanks to a grant USU Extension received from the Department of Outdoor Recreation.
Some of the camps are one night and some are two nights, and there are some family nights as well.
You can learn more by clicking here.
Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah is a proud supporter of this program and the work USU Extension is doing to remind teens to slow down, look up and remember that they belong!
