Tech students in St. Cloud produce music video to help struggling teens with suicide prevention
In a time where the challenges faced by teenagers in terms of mental health are on the rise, a group of high school students in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, have transformed their morning video production class into a platform for providing hope and healing. The Tech Morning Show, a student-led YouTube program that is currently in its seventh season, recently launched a music video titled “We Need You Here” which tackles the topics of mental health awareness and suicide prevention. This initiative came about as a response to the increasing struggles faced by students in the school, with many grappling with mental health issues. The students behind the video project aimed to create a powerful message that could resonate with viewers on their YouTube channel.
The idea for the music video originated from a conversation about the challenges faced by students, and it evolved into a project that addressed the need for supporting one another within the community. The project was initiated following concerns raised by CentraCare about a rise in mental health issues among teenagers, coinciding with the introduction of the Say Something app and the promotion of the 988 crisis hotline in the school. The students utilized AI tools as aids in their creative process rather than as substitutes for their own work. By employing tools like ChatGPT and Suno, they were able to generate lyrics with an Eminem-inspired tone before refining and personalizing the content. Although the AI-generated music took less than ten minutes to create, the entire process of planning, filming, and editing the video spanned several weeks.
Addison Wallace-Jones, a student director involved in the project, detailed the extensive efforts that went into filming the video, including mapping out shots, coordinating camera crews, and spending hours capturing scenes across the school building. The team ensured that each scene was filmed from multiple angles to provide editors with flexibility during the post-production phase. Despite the challenges they faced during filming, the students found the experience to be rewarding, with the final product being visually appealing and impactful.
The Tech Morning Show program is inclusive and welcomes students of all experience levels. According to Teacher Matthew Keil, known affectionately as “Doc” by his students, the best way for students to learn is through hands-on experience with the equipment rather than through tutorials. For sophomore Ava Bauck, the message of the video resonates deeply, particularly in the context of high school where stressors from various sources can impact mental health. The finished video emphasizes the importance of students not suffering alone and encourages them to seek support by sharing their feelings.
The students also aim to provide resources to their peers through the video, including information about the Say Something app and the 988 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The Tech Morning Show produces new content every few weeks, and their videos, which range from five to twenty minutes in length, are intended to address relevant messages within their school community. Since its inception during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the program has released 132 videos and garnered over 500 subscribers. Each year, the team creates a music video centered on a message that holds significance for their school community.