Stories | Positive Tracks

Cassie & Avery’s Story

This experience made me feel so powerful. I learned how to make last minute decisions, how to ask for help, and how to organize around 200 people.

Yoga’s Story

I feel like this was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. Having finished it, I think I can do anything as long as I break it down into smaller components.

Shania’s Story

My experience running this event not only challenged me and my teammates physically but also expanded my ability to organize and coordinate rather involved events. Partnering with Positive Tracks significantly helped streamline the processes involved in planning and executing.

Aarti’s Story

I brought people together ranging from 18 to 70 years old who took part in physical activities like running, walking, jogging, and biking. Positive Tracks showed me that I could use exercise to advocate for my cause. The best part was the freedom I got with it. I created a fundraiser from scratch, the way I wanted it. I got to use my Challenge to support a non-profit of my choice, and in the end, I can say it is a direct representation of something that means a lot to ME.

Nadia’s Story

This experience taught me how to collaborate. This was the first time we hosted this event with another student organization and there were many decisions that we had to make together. Because this was a collaborative event there were certain things that we disagreed on throughout the planning process and last minute changes that had to be made and communicated. This Challenge improved my ability to communicate effectively and also set boundaries when it comes to group decision making.

Collin’s Story

While sports can be positive, they can also have a negative effect if you don’t prioritize your mental health. Throughout my life, sports often encouraged me to numb my emotions and push through pain. There’s definitely a stigma around being perceived as soft or talking about your emotions — those things aren’t normalized, and that can trickle into your outside life and have a negative effect off the court.

Sofia’s Story

Hurricane Ida hit and I was sent home to North Carolina from my college in Louisiana for three weeks. During this time, I reflected on what I could do to help, and I realized that this was the best time to organize a 5K. I now know how to get people involved throughout the nation, and possibly the world, because of what I learned and my outreach experiences with my Positive Tracks Challenge.

Manasvini’s Story

Through my Positive Tracks Challenge, I learned how to rally people around a common cause and how to coordinate efforts across different groups. It taught me the importance of effective communication and organization, and the value of fostering a sense of community among participants.

Group Story

I think the problem is that the environment is such a huge topic and so hard to tackle. People just don’t really know where to start and we were hoping to change that. Positive Tracks taught us how to advocate for ourselves and one of the reasons we chose to focus on the environment is because it does affect everyone.

Ian’s Story

My partnership with Positive Tracks was invaluable. This experience definitely enhanced my confidence and helped me understand how to drive positive change. In addition to practical support in the form of templates, roadmaps, etc., Positive Tracks’ guidance helped me understand what needed to be done, while encouraging me to believe that I could make it happen. Many of the skills that I learned and used will hopefully be transferable to other situations, so that I can continue to help people and work on initiatives that are important to me.

Leah’s Story

What I love about Positive Tracks is that they give everyone a voice and the resources they need to make a difference. Last January, I partnered with Positive Tracks to create an athletic event to increase mental health resources and suicide prevention. I organized a 5K which brought together over 120 participants! Donations from 35 donors raised over $1,154 for Samaritans, the non-profit organization I chose to support.

Becca’s Story

During my first Positive Tracks Challenge, I led my college rugby team’s annual 5K, Cully’s Run, created in honor of a former teammate and student who lost her battle to mental illness.