Boise State Athletics Announce New High Schools for Mental Health Initiative
5/14/2025 10:00:00 AM | General
Students will activate mental health programming on their campus and communityÂ
BOISE, Idaho – Boise State Athletics has selected six Idaho high schools to participate in the BroncoBOLD High School Ambassador Program. These schools will join 10 other area high schools and include: Eagle, Glenns Ferry, Kuna, Mountain Home, Mountain View and Rocky Mountain High Schools.
The schools will participate in the three-year program that provides the education and tools to support motivated high school students and administrators to become active leaders and advocates of mental health on their campus and in their community.Â
The BroncoBOLD High School Ambassador Program was made possible through a grant from the locally-based Holland M. Ware Charitable Foundation (HMWCF).Â
"Our heartfelt thanks to HMWCF, for your generous gift," said Stephanie Donaldson, Assistant Athletic Director, Athletic Performance Psychology. "Your support is truly making a difference in young lives. This funding allows us to come alongside 16 area high schools to meet kids right where they are—with compassion, understanding, and real tools they can use. It's opening doors for schools and administrators who are deeply committed to raising awareness, offering education, and creating safe spaces where every student feels seen, supported, and valued."Â
Bishop Kelly, Boise, Centennial, Meridian, Nampa, and Owyhee High Schools are beginning their second year in the program. This year, they will continue receiving support in the form of expanded toolkits designed to enhance Suicide Prevention Awareness Week activities in the fall and Mental Health Awareness Games in the spring. In addition, school staff will have ongoing access to Youth Mental Health First Aid Trainings throughout the academic year.
Meanwhile, Borah, Capital, Marsing, and Timberline High Schools are now in their third and final year of the program. These schools will also benefit from enhanced Suicide Prevention Awareness Week and Mental Health Awareness Games toolkits. Staff members at these schools will continue to have access to Youth Mental Health First Aid Training and QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) Training curriculum to further strengthen their mental health response capabilities.
BroncoBOLD's strength is its action-oriented, systemic impact—not just a singular story, but an entire movement that creates lasting change.
Last September, youth from over 40 schools throughout the Treasure Valley participated in BroncoBOLD's Chalk the Walk for Mental Health Day. Each school received BroncoBOLD Chalk the Walk kits as well as BroncoBOLD and district specific mental health resource cards, information and giveaways. Approximately 23,339 local students were impacted by BroncoBOLD programming and a total of 2,000 BroncoBOLD Chalk the Walk kits were distributed to schools and local businesses.
Launched in the fall of 2019, BroncoBOLD is a student-athlete mental health awareness initiative comprising three pillars: reduce stigma, raise awareness and cultivate resilience in order to spread a message of hope and help to the entire campus and greater community. Visit BroncoBOLD to learn more.
About Holland M. Ware Charitable Foundation
The Holland M. Ware Charitable Foundation is a private foundation that promotes the prevention of cruelty, assists communities in the care of the needy and local law enforcement.
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