Being a part of something bigger than herself has always been the goal for Meara Fay. She has achieved this by acting as a keystone for multiple community service clubs and organizations, such as the Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) Youth Advisory Council. She aims to continue helping those in need through her college career. Fay is attending Marymount Manhattan College to earn her Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Neuroscience to strengthen her understanding of mental health. Afterwards, she plans to attend graduate or medical school to eventually work in the mental health field.
“I’ve been interested in psychology for a long time, both from personal experience, but also from the experiences of people in my life,” Fay said. “It has been impactful to be a part of [the BCHD community] and be able to contribute to the greater cause of alleviating mental health struggles for everyone, which I think can also be done [by pursuing] a career in psychology.”
Fay’s experience working with mental health began in eighth grade, when she applied online for the BCHD Youth Advisory Council. The council is comprised of students from eighth to 12th grade, who work on assembling projects and activities to raise awareness about substance abuse and the importance of mental health. Fay served on the leadership team of the council as a School Site Representative for her middle school and a Communications Lead in high school.
One of her first experiences with the council was being a part of a ‘photo voice’ project in which the council showcased people’s experiences with drug abuse. This project was memorable for Fay because people in her life had also struggled with substance abuse, which left an imprint on her.
“In sixth grade, one of my friends from elementary school started vaping and then taking pills. I had to stop being friends with her,” Fay said. “That’s why I feel it was a powerful experience to be part of the council. To be able to make a change in the community directly [through helping people fight addictions] feels rewarding.”
While participating in the BCHD Youth Advisory Council, Fay also cemented her role as President of Interact Club for all 4 years of high school. Interact Club is the high school division of Rotary International, a worldwide organization that works towards improving communities through humanitarian services.
“I joined [Interact Club] because my grandparents were founders of a Rotary club of their own,” Fay said. “When I joined, it was the first year back from COVID, so the club had lost all its members. At our first meeting, I was the only student there. Because I already knew I wanted to be involved in Rotary, I persisted with the club until we eventually gained a strong group of members.”
Interact has had a yearly event in which the club collected donations outside of local stores to make “Blessing Bags,” kits filled with important toiletries, such as feminine care and hygiene products, that are donated to help those struggling with addiction, unhoused people, and domestic violence victims. Each year, the club was able to collect over 100 bags of toiletries and donate them to locals in need through the Redondo Beach Police Department. Throughout the years, the event has been able to donate more than 300 bags. It has been a treasured experience for Fay because it allows her to directly help people in need while using her knowledge about mental health.
“It’s a big thing for me, helping domestic violence victims and unhoused people. A lot of unhoused people find themselves in these situations because of mental illness and drug use. It’s all related,” Fay said.
Anita Stoddard, a retired RUHS teacher and advisor of Interact Club as well as an admirer of Fay’s attitude and ethics, stressed that Fay has always been a “kind and curious person.”
“I would like to call her an old soul. She is very compassionate and loving, and she’s everything that we would want to have in an Interact student,” Stoddard said. “She’s helped me with ideas about surviving projects and taken a lead role. She is grounded, and even when she is put into an uncomfortable situation, she rises to the top.”
In the future, Stoddard believes that Fay will keep up her work in service organizations and is confident she will continue to positively influence those around her.
“She has a very loving relationship within her family, and that is what drives her,” Stoddard said. “[Fay] gives me hope that our future is bright.”
Fay has found that her experiences in both the Interact club and the BCHD Youth Advisory Council have been impactful on her future, and believes it is essential that she continues her work to inform and assist vulnerable individuals.