JA 18 Under 18 2024
MAYA TARANTINO
Mental health challenges have reached epidemic proportions in today’s youth. After losing several peers to suicide, Maya Tarantino, a 12th grader at Dulaney High School, began the Not on Our Watch (NOOW) club in 2022. It is the first mental wellness club at her school. Club members host events to support and promote mental health and wellness. An active member of #ICANHELP, an organization that develops online safety and digital wellness programs for students, Maya now serves as the group’s social impact manager. Her passion for mental wellness resulted in her being asked to serve on the Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) Mental Health Advisory Council, a group of school leaders, community mental health stakeholders, and BCPS parents. Her consistent efforts resulted in her being nominated for the 2023- 2024 cohort of Outstanding Young Women Leaders, a partnership between BCPS and Towson University.
“[Maya] is an amazing, determined, and successful leader in the classroom, in the community, and on the field.” —Courtney Brown, supervisor of Mental Health Services, BCPS