the
problem
problem
problem
problem
problem
Every 40 seconds, one person makes the decision that their life is no longer worth living, and decides to end it.
1 in 7 teens have seriously contemplated death by suicide and 1 in 10 have actually gone through with the act, That equates to 3,000 deaths a day and over 1 million a year. Even more shockingly, death by suicide is the second-leading cause of death in teenagers.
solution
solution
the
solution
solution
solution
1 in 7 teens have seriously contemplated death by suicide
MyInk is an app that provides an emotional safe place for high school students who have developed depression and anxiety or want a way to organize their thoughts. They will also be able to anonymously reach out to a guidance counselor from their school when they are ready. Students have the opportunity to write their thoughts and feelings in an online journal whenever they’d like. Questions will appear to ask the user how they are feeling and guide their reflection, if they so choose. MyInk is a non-profit business in which schools buy from directly. For a monthly fee, we provide the school with MyInk accounts for all of its students. On MyInk, the students can create and customize daily journal logs, monthly reflections, and mental health trackers. The key feature that makes MyInk stand out is the ability to anonymously talk to and send your reflections to a guidance counselor from your school. To ensure safety for both the counselor and student, both identities are kept anonymous unless they schedule an appointment through the app to meet with the counselor to meet in person. Through the rules and guidelines of HIPPA, all information is to be protected by the counselor, and will be kept safe. MyInk also has the ability to act as an anonymous tip line, where students can inform the school’s administration about any suspicious activity.
ABOUT
about
about
about
about
Our
Story
We created MyInk because we, alongside the general population, have some connection and tie to seeing mental illness take over the lives of today's youth. Both of us have had different moments where we knew we wanted to provide reliable emotional help for teenagers, and hence, decided to take action and create MyInk.
​
Lauren’s experience was at a recent conference with approximately 500 other high school students. There was a speaker in the front giving them a lecture on social media. She asked the high schoolers a few questions and told them that if it applied to them, to raise their phone flashlights. After about six questions, everyone’s phones were in the air. The gym was lit up with the lights of 500 teens who had contemplated taking their own lives. Lauren’s light was also raised because she personally has had struggles and difficulties throughout the last few years.
Bennett, on the other hand, has watched the destructive powers of the mind first-hand, and seen the effects that death by suicide leaves on the community. Bennett was close family friends with the lead singer of Linkin Park, Chester Bennington, who had died by suicide in 2017. Chester had influenced Bennett’s life tremendously. Through Chester, Bennett learned how to be passionate about music and to truly put your all into something you truly care about. Through witnessing the death of Chester Bennington, a close family friend and role model, Bennett knew he needed to help.
Emotional struggles happen all around us every day. Simply checking in on a loved one could be the difference between life or death.
Bennett Curran
High school Junior
​
Lauren Skemp
High school Sophmore
​
our
PROTOTYPE
prototype
prototype
prototype
prototype
TRY IT OUT
We invite you to try journaling for a week and see the effect it has on your everyday life! Click the button for more details.