Quick look: Orange County students were recognized for their impactful, peer-selected films on mental health through the first-ever Youth Choice Awards on May 1, a new student-led addition to the Directing Change Film Contest. Several of the winning films will move on to the statewide competition, amplifying youth voices and promoting awareness across California.
In “Superhero,” a Los Alamitos High School student rummages through a box of childhood belongings, revisiting his dream of being a hero.
As memories of his younger self — wearing a cape and being lifted into the air by his mother — flash across the screen, the film reveals a more complex truth that being strong doesn’t mean facing everything alone.
The student filmmaker ultimately reframes what it means to be a “superhero,” showing that asking for help is its own kind of strength.
The film earned first place in the mental health category at the first-ever Directing Change Orange County Youth Choice Awards, where students across the county selected their favorite peer-created films focused on mental health awareness. Held May 1 by OCDE’s Student Advocates for Mental Health program, the inaugural Youth Choice Awards introduced a new, student-led element to the long-running Directing Change Film Contest.
This year, the Directing Change Program and Film Contest received 170 films from Orange County students. Once films were submitted, Directing Change industry professionals screened and selected the top entries for countywide judging. From there, more than 900 local middle and high school students reviewed the final projects and selected winners across five categories: mental health, suicide prevention, through the lens of culture, substance use prevention and middle school. The first-place films were screened during the awards event, giving student filmmakers the opportunity to share their work directly with peers, families, educators and community partners.
Every spring, the Directing Change contest, organized by the nonprofit Youth Creating Change, invites students across California to submit 30- to 60-second films that explore topics such as mental health, suicide prevention and substance use prevention aimed at reducing stigma and uplifting their communities through storytelling.
The OC Youth Choice Awards build on that foundation by putting students at the center of the judging process, spotlighting the perspectives of their peers while elevating standout films before they advance to statewide recognition. By placing students in the role of both creators and judges, the event encouraged peer-led discussions around mental health and the importance of seeking support.
Nine participating schools received technical support from OCDE’s Student Advocates for Mental Health team, which provides training to help students approach sensitive topics with care as they write, produce and star in their films.
“We are so proud of the films that were created and look forward to seeing the impact they will make countywide and beyond as they are used to promote awareness, elevate stories of strength, and share resources for support,” said Stephanie Loscko, OCDE program specialist. “Having youth do the judging not only helped us get these important films out to schools, but also inspired more students to participate next year.”
A statewide awards ceremony on May 21 in Los Angeles will honor finalists from across California, including seven from Orange County, and continue to shine a spotlight on youth-driven mental health awareness. To learn more about the contest and watch this year’s winning films, head to the Directing Change website.
And, the 2026 Directing Change Orange County Youth Choice Awards go to:
Suicide Prevention Category
First Place: “Light at the End of the Tunnel”
Canyon High School
Filmmaker: Susan Braun
Advisor: Alex Graham
Mental Health Category
First Place: “Superhero” (Advancing to statewide judging)
Los Alamitos High School
Filmmakers: Davis Taylor, Christopher Blocher, Audrey Romo, Mason Potter, Ashlynn Fragoso and Joseph Ito
Advisor: Conner Brown
Through the Lens of Culture Category
First Place: “Mestizo”
Los Alamitos High School
Filmmakers: Leonard Rosa, Aiden Shellhammer, Sebastian Martinez, Ashlynn Fragoso
Advisor: Conner Brown
Substance Use Prevention Category
First Place: “A Light in the Dark” (Advancing to statewide judging)
Los Alamitos High School
Filmmakers: Sebastian Martinez, Christopher Blocher, Leonard Rosa
Advisor: Conner Brown
Middle School Category
First Place: “what i don’t say” (Advancing to statewide judging)
Warner Middle School
Filmmakers: Kayla Bui, Sofi Dam, Izabella Dang, Ella Nguyen, Uyen Pham, Lam Tran, Jayden Truong, Tinh Nhu Tran
Advisor: Kurt Reisig
Beyond local honors, the following additional OC films will move on to the statewide contest, where they will be screened and recognized among top student entries from across California:
Statewide Awards
Suicide Prevention Category
Second Place: “It Doesn’t Stay Night”
El Dorado High School
Filmmakers: Kate Wissink and Isla W.
Advisor: Mark Switzer
Mental Health Category
First Place: “Bottled Up”
El Dorado High School
Filmmakers: Angela Hendrix, Rita Cirata, Viveka Mayo
Advisor: Mark Switzer
Third Place: “Drowning”
Los Alamitos High School
Filmmakers: Sean Massoumi, Reef Settlemire, Jesse Berry, Ryan Quinn
Advisor: Conner Brown
Through the Lens of Culture Category
Third Place: “Different”
Los Alamitos High School
Filmmakers: Natalia Sandoval Velazquez, Joseph Ito, Audrey Romo, Davis Taylor, Ashlynn Fragoso
Advisor: Conner Brown
If you or someone you know is experiencing depression, anxiety or suicidal ideation, here are a few free resources available to help:
- The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. 1-800-273-8255 is a 24-hour, toll-free, confidential suicide prevention hotline that’s available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. It provides Spanish-speaking counselors, as well as options for deaf and hard of hearing individuals.
- The Crisis Text Line. The Crisis Text Line is the only 24/7, nationwide crisis-intervention text message hotline. Text HOME to 741-741.
- OC WarmLine. Available 24/7, the OC WarmLine is a free and confidential telephone service providing emotional support and resources to Orange County residents. Call 714-991-6412 or visit namioc.org/oc-warmline for more information.
- National Parent Helpline. This hotline provides emotional support and empowerment strategies to strengthen families. Call 1-855-4A PARENT(1-855-427-2736) 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays.
- 2-1-1 OC. This service connects Orange County’s most vulnerable residents with vital health and human service resources. Call 888-600-4357 or visit www.211oc.org.