Walking through the hallways of Arizona Conservatory for Arts and Academics (ACAA) K-5, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of nostalgia and purpose. The sound of students’ laughter, the energy buzzing in the classrooms, and the dedication of the teachers reminded me of my early days in education. I spent 17 years in higher education as a faculty member, teaching thousands of students, before founding Phoenix Therapists’ Hub, an organization dedicated to supporting mental health. But my visit to ACAA wasn’t just about revisiting the world of education—it was about looking forward to what we can accomplish together for students’ mental well-being.
I was there to shadow Lisa Munoz, the principal of ACAA’s K-5 school. It was a lively day. The school is preparing for an exciting move to a new building, and there was a palpable sense of anticipation in the air. But as I spent time with Lisa and her team, it became clear that beneath the surface, the students here—like many students across the country—are navigating far more than just their academic or artistic studies. The pressures they face, both socially and emotionally, are significant.
This moment brought me back to something I learned during my years as a professor: being an educator gives you a rare glimpse into the lives of individuals. It’s not just about grades or lessons—it’s about seeing the human struggles students are facing behind the scenes. As a teacher, I started to notice patterns. Beyond the quirks and unique personalities of my students, I could see the growing weight of stress, anxiety, and emotional uncertainty that they were carrying. The struggles I witnessed weren’t isolated incidents; they reflected broader trends in mental health that were becoming impossible to ignore.
And that’s exactly why I started The Hub. After years of witnessing these mental health challenges up close, I realized that schools are ground zero for so many of these issues. It’s where young people are developing emotionally as much as intellectually, and it’s where we can have the most impact. During my day at ACAA, this realization hit home even harder. I wasn’t just seeing the challenges of older college students anymore—I was seeing them in younger kids, students who are still forming their identities but already facing stress, anxiety, and pressure to perform.
ACAA is a remarkable place, and Lisa Munoz leads with the kind of care and attention that makes a difference in the lives of her students. The school’s arts-focused curriculum fosters creativity and expression, which is so crucial for a child’s development. But Lisa and her team are also stretched thin. Like many schools across the country, they’re doing their best to manage the increasing mental health challenges students bring into the classroom—challenges that don’t have easy fixes.
During our conversations, Lisa and I began to discuss what more could be done. The arts provide a powerful outlet for emotional expression, but the students also need deeper, ongoing mental health support to help them cope with their anxieties, social pressures, and internal struggles. It was clear that the teachers were already offering support in any way they could—whether it was a quiet moment with a student on the edge of a breakdown or a reassuring word after a tough day—but they needed more resources.
That’s where The Hub comes in. Schools like ACAA shouldn’t have to tackle this alone. As Lisa and I talked, it became obvious that our visions were aligned: to create a school environment where mental health is prioritized just as much as academic achievement. We began laying the groundwork for a partnership between ACAA and The Hub, a partnership that will focus on equipping the entire school community—students, teachers, and parents—with the tools and resources they need to support mental well-being.
For me, this partnership is personal. Over the years, I saw many of my students struggle in silence. By the time they reached college, some had developed coping mechanisms, while others were just beginning to understand the weight of their emotional challenges. But I also knew many of these struggles started long before they entered my classroom. Schools are where we need to start addressing these issues, not after they’ve escalated, but early, when students are first grappling with them.
That’s why I’m so excited about the work we’re doing with ACAA. Together, we’ll be integrating mental health resources into the daily life of the school, offering support not just when crises arise but as part of the school’s culture. We’re committed to ensuring that students have the space to express themselves, not just creatively through the arts, but emotionally, in ways that help them build resilience and well-being.
As we move forward with this partnership, I’m reminded of why I left teaching to focus on mental health in the first place. There’s a window educators have into the lives of their students—a window that shows both their potential and their pain. Schools like ACAA are where we can make the most profound difference, where we can step in early and offer the emotional support that might just change the course of a young person’s life.
The work ahead is exciting, and the commitment is real. Supporting the mental health of students isn’t just a professional goal for me—it’s a personal one. The more we integrate mental health resources into schools like ACAA, the more we can ensure that students are not just surviving, but thriving, emotionally, academically, and creatively.
This post was written by Justin M. Jory, founder and director of Phoenix Therapists’ Hub. Jory is a former faculty member of 17 years.