Janelle Porter is someone in the right place at the right time. She is the Assistant Superintendent for Student Services at the North Kansas City School District, and she volunteers on the Board of Directors for Beacon Mental Health. She loves helping students and their families deal with the challenges of mental health, and that is exactly what her job calls for.
The timing is right for her to be in this position because the need is so great. She points to the rise of social media, coupled with the COVID pandemic, as the reason why kids are facing unprecedented challenges with mental health. She explains, “Social media has changed everything for kids these days. It invades every moment of their lives, and it instantaneously brings to action whatever bad impulses a kid might have. If I wanted to say something mean to someone when I was growing up, I would have to say it to their face, or call their phone number and have to go through their parents, or write an actual note. Now, you think it, you text it, and it is done.”
She also points out that they are watching how adults behave, and are influenced by the bitter divisiveness of partisan politics. “They see how our leaders treat each other and how we all talk about the leaders, and then it becomes hard for them to imagine a respectful difference of opinion. We have to model that for them,” she says.
Despite the troubles that she sees, she is optimistic about the generation of kids in school today. “It is my privilege to be in school with them. Their energy, excitement and curiosity is amazing, and I love being around the kids,” she smiles.
She also enjoys her volunteer service on the Board of Beacon Mental Health. She worked for a different community mental center before joining the North Kansas City School District, and appreciates the variety of services that Beacon provides. She points out, “10 years ago, Beacon was helping out in the North Kansas City School District, and they were there for the right reasons. They knew that that was where help was needed in the community, and so they were there to help, even though it cost them money that they couldn’t bill to anyone. They were always there to help the community.”
While growing up, she moved frequently, but Kansas City was always home. She loves the Northland, and says that she will be in our community until she retires, which won’t be for quite a while.
As a board member, Janelle brings a much-appreciated understanding of what is going on with our youth and schools. She is always direct, informed, and focused on the positive side of the challenges she sees coming for the population she serves. Her insight and perspective make Beacon’s Board of Directors informed and thoughtful when it comes to serving our youth.
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