By Tad Stearn
When Aptos High School senior Hannah Levy looked around campus, she saw more than crowded stairwells and busy classrooms. She also saw stress.
“High school can be overwhelming,” she said. “Between grades, sports, college applications and just life, it’s easy to forget to take care of your mental health.”
So when it came time to choose a project for her Girl Scout Gold Award, Levy knew she wanted to do something to support student well-being. The Gold Award is the highest honor in Girl Scouting, given for initiatives that help fix a problem in their community or make a lasting impact in their world.
Hannah Levy installs her latest mural at Aptos High.
The award is comparable to Scouting America’s Eagle Scout rank.
Her idea was both simple and powerful: a mural that would not only visibly brighten campus life but also connect students to real help. The mural, now displayed on the front of the I Building at Aptos High, features the words “Live Life in Full Bloom” alongside colorful California poppies and the Mariner’s trademark anchor. In the lower corner is a QR code that links directly to the school’s newly revamped Wellness Page.
“The Gold Award is about creating something that lasts,” Levy said. “I wanted to make sure that long after I graduate, students will still be able to find the support they need.”
But before a single brushstroke could go on the wall, Hannah had to navigate a rigorous list of approvals. Her proposal was reviewed by Principal Lisa Lansdale, the art department, the Instructional Committee, the School Site Council, and even the Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board. “It was a lot of meetings,” she said, laughing. “But everyone understood how important it was.”
Once approved, Levy got to work and found the community ready to back her vision. San Lorenzo Lumber donated materials for the mural’s panels, and local artist Sam Rak volunteered to help advise on the layout and painting.
As the mural took shape, Levy had a new insight. “I realized some students might not feel comfortable scanning the QR code in front of others,” she said. “Mental health can still feel private, even though it shouldn’t have to.”
Working with Principal Lansdale, she came up with a creative solution: smaller posters featuring the same QR code will be placed inside bathroom stalls, where students can discreetly access the site.
The Wellness Page itself, which Hannah redesigned, is now an easily navigable hub of resources offering links to mental health support, crisis hotlines and local social services. It’s a tool the school is committed to maintaining and expanding each year.
Principal Lansdale called the project “a model of student initiative and compassion.” She added, “Hannah didn’t just make something beautiful — she built a bridge between students and the help they might need.”
The mural now greets students each morning as they walk to class, a splash of color with a deeper message: Help is here, and hope is accessible.
“I hope it reminds people that it’s okay to ask for help,” Levy said. “Sometimes the hardest part is knowing where to start — and now, there’s a way.”
As she looks ahead to graduation, Levy says she’s grateful for the chance to give something back. “I’m really thankful the school trusted me with this project,” she said. “I just hope it makes things a little easier for someone who needs support.”
QR code for the Aptos High School Wellness Page
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Photos Courtesy of Peter Levy
TOP PHOTO: Hannah Levy standing next to her newest mural at Aptos High.