ABOUT CHLOE:

Hey! I'm Chloe, new chapter leader for the Bellaire chapter at PEA! I've always had a passion for doing numerous sports including lax, volleyball, basketball, soccer, tennis, etc. At the moment I'm participating in two sports at the AAU level, volleyball and basketball. I also enjoying being an Evelyn's Park Teen Ambassador as well as helping people through being a blood donor, making cards regularly for hospitalized people, and volunteering at Houston Food Bank. My goal is to help reduce teens' anxiety through doing physical activities that strengthen our Bellaire community as a whole.

ABOUT ANNIKA:

Heyy!! I’m Annika and your new Cypress chapter leader. As an honors student, I often find myself surrounded by a toxic and stressful environment, which can take a toll on my mental health. However, my involvement in two sports (swim and tennis) has been a saving grace. These activities provide me with a much-needed break from the pressures of school and allow me to recharge. I believe that my school could greatly benefit from offering more opportunities for students to engage in sports in an stress-free environment. Providing such an environment would greatly enhance the well-being of our student body. Ultimately, I hope to help reduce teen stress and anxiety through promoting physical activities and strengthen the Cypress community as a whole.

ABOUT BROOKLYN: Hey there!  My name is Brooklyn and I am the Fulshear chapter leader—the first middle school chapter of PEA. Stress from school, family, and friends can start even earlier than high school.  I have found that physical activity is a wonderful stress reliever. I personally enjoy volleyball, walking my dogs, playing with my tortoises, swimming, bouldering, and meditation, but I would love to help you find an activity that makes you feel at your best.

ABOUT AINSLIE: Hello! I am Ainslie and I am Fulshear's co-chapter leader. Stress can start from a young age, from school work, friends, family, and sports. I personally have found arts and crafts a great stress reliever. I personally like painting, sketching, coloring, drawing, and making bracelets. I would love to help you find an fun activity to help make you feel your best.

ABOUT BEN: Hi! My name is Ben Taciak and I’m the leader of the Long Island chapter. I’m a senior at Centereach High School, Student Body President, National Honor Society President, and Leader of the New York chapter of the Abelard Institute of Oxford. I always found that fitness helped keep me healthy mentally and physically, which is why I wrestled for several years until I faced a career-ending injury. Now I play golf, run, and lift weights to keep me happy and healthy. I look forward to building a community here on Long Island with my co-leader Cemal Tastan, encouraging all teens to pursue mental, and physical wellness!

ABOUT CEMAL: Hello my name is Cemal Tastan and I’m co-leader of the Long Island chapter. I’m a junior at Centereach High School, DECA chapter President, and chess club treasurer. In addition to my leadership positions I’m also an athlete. I’m on the varsity wrestling team and also the varsity tennis team. I decided to continue my fitness journey along with my leadership positions because I found that being an athlete helped me maintain balance in my life rather than be a barrier to my academic success. I’m excited to build a community along with my co-leader Ben Taciak and meeting many more students that have the same passion.

ABOUT THALIE: Hello! I’m Thalie, the chapter leader for the Memorial chapter at PEA! I’m really into helping teen mental health since I’m also a part of the Mental Health Society Racing For Wellness fundraising program. I think most teens, including myself, have felt the pressures that come with being in high school. That’s why I think hanging out and making new friends can relieve anxious thoughts. Through enjoyable, bonding exercises, I believe I can help destress teens in my community. My goal at PEA is to spread positive vibes and relieve stress through fun activities and socialization!

ABOUT ELIANA: Howdy y’all!!. My name's Eliana and I am the leader of the Southwest chapter. I’m a sophomore at Bellaire High School and am 16. I love to do theater at my local JCC as well as play basketball and go to the gym. I love playing basketball for Maccabi, he Jewish Junior Olympics, and have been doing it for 3 years. I love being able to connect with other Jewish athletes from all over the world and connect over our love for basketball. I also love working out at the gym as a way to de-stress and have a good start to my day. I’m so excited to share my love for exercise to my community and help other teens get out are emotions in a healthy and fun way!

ABOUT JENNA: Hey y'all! My name is Jenna and I'm the chapter leader for UT Austin. I'm a biology major and Dean's Scholar and currently on the premed track (if you have any questions, feel free to contact me!). I'm really enthusiastic about a holistic approach to health and believe both physical and mental health are important for our wellbeing! I love staying active, going to the gym or taking pilates classes. I also love hanging out with friends, and my goal is to create an inclusive PEA community where everyone feels uplifted and connected!

ABOUT SHENGZE: Hi! My name is Shengze and I’m the chapter leader for West U. I’ve been playing sports since I was little, and I currently play soccer and golf, and I go to the gym. Every time I’m playing sports I feel like the stress of school and other things are lifted off my shoulders and I can just have fun and enjoy myself. I believe that sports not only make you happier but can also help you find a great community and new friends. My goal is to provide the opportunity for this to happen, with both sports-related and social activities. I hope to give teens in West U a sense of community and improve both their physical and mental health.

ABOUT KEVIN: Hello, I’m Kevin Hu and I’m a co-chapter leader of the West U Chapter with Shengze Lai. I believe physical and mental health are two important things for everybody’s development and that improving these two aspects of one’s life should be a priority. Although I don’t play sports anymore, I often go to the gym throughout the week to stay physically active. The West U Chapter often hosts sports in the West U area because playing sports is a great way to improve not only physical health, but mental health as it is fun and physically demanding. With Shengze, I hope to help people in the West U area enjoy themselves while also staying healthy by playing sports and doing fun activities.