Kissimmee’s Marley Reynolds was in Tallahassee last week, advocating for the mental health of school teachers.
It’s noteworthy, because Reynolds is 13 years old.
Reynolds, a Neptune Middle School seventh-grader, was the winner of the Osceola House District 47 “Build A Bill” competition, started by state Rep. Paula Stark last year.
For the contest, students draft ideas for legislation, and Stark works to get it through committee. Reynolds came up a powerful idea of requiring school districts to offer teaching staff mental health services, and to cover a portion of the insurance copay.
Stark took that proposal to the State Capitol during the legislative session, and it became the building blocks of House Bill 1151—Marley’s Teacher Mental Health Act.
Fellow Rep. Dana Trabulsy of Fort Pierce, who chairs the House Education Administration Subcommittee, arranged for Reynolds to come to Tallahassee on April 14 to present her idea to create mental health support for Florida’s teachers to a portion of the committee in a mock committee meeting.
“In a class, if the teacher is happy, then the students are happy,” Reynolds said. “So it’s a benefit for the students."
While HB 1151 did not advance through the committee proper, Stark said she was filled with emotion watching and listening to Reynolds have a voice for students working to make a change in the halls of the state government.
“Her voice and vision made a lasting impact,” Stark said. “I’m so proud to help uplift young leaders like Marley who are already changing the future.”
