Agoura High Student Offers Hope and Awareness to Depressed Teens

Each week, Agoura Hills Patch will seek suggestions from readers for individual kids, youth groups, teens, and even sports teams that wow us with their accomplishments. We want to hear about these amazing children and teens and select one each week as the Patch Whiz Kid. 

This week's Whiz Kid is 18-year-old Elizabeth Mcgrane. While most seniors are counting down the days down until they graduate, Mcgrane is living and loving each and every day to the fullest. A self-professed "goth" as a freshman, Mcgrane became involved with the teen outreach program, "To Write Love on Her Arms," which serves as an online resource for teens in distress. The nonprofit organization helps kids who are struggling with depression, addiction, self injury and thoughts of suicide to find hope.

Mcgrane, now a senior at , has been involved in the student council and is a Yell Leader. She has "crazy school spirit," she said.  

Her participation in "To Write Love on Her Arms" is one of Mcgrane's major activities, and a labor of love. "[It's] like a safety blanket for kids who don't have anywhere else to go," Mcgrane said. The overriding message of the organization, she said, is "It's hope and it's help and it's love."  

To Write Love on Her Arms isn't a treatment center. The group forwards kids in distress to find the help and support they need. The organization is a gateway to finding treatments and professional help.  

"We have resources where you can come look at the Web site, read stories about what other kids have gone through, read inspirational stories about how kids have overcome, and we have numbers that you can call for help like suicide hotlines, email addresses if you need someone to talk to at that moment," Mcgrane said. "You don't know how precious a moment can be at that point when you are at a very low point in your life and you need someone to talk to right away."

As a freshman, Mcgrane noticed a group of her friends wearing T-shirts that said, "To Write Love on Her Arms."  

"I didn't know what To Write Love on Her Arms was.  I thought it was a band," said Mcgrane. "I went on the Web site one night, I was going through a really hard time in my life with depression and just not going down a good path. My friend said, 'you should get involved with that.'"  

The organization became a passion for Mcgrane, and spreading the word is her mission. "I really liked their message, and I really liked how positive it was," Mcgrane said. "There are so many negative things in the world. We need more and more people to be positive. I had friends that would come to me and say, 'I have nowhere to go.'"  

Mcgrane was happy that they would come to her because it meant they were willing to get help. "A lot of kids feel like they can deal with it themselves, but you always want to talk to people 'cause you never know where it can lead," she said.

Jenny Wolpert knows firsthand how important the message is that Mcgrane is trying to spread. Wolpert lost her daughter, Grayson, to suicide two years ago. Introduced by a mutual friend, Chloe France, it proved to be the makings of a powerful relationship.  

"It hits home, this can happen to anybody," said Mcgrane. France, a friend of Grayson's, indicated that her mother wanted to do something to honor her daughter. Along with fellow students, France, Kelly Klezak and the support of Wolpert, the "Love, Be Loved, Grow Acoustic Afternoon" was born. 

"Elizabeth’s good nature, energy, compassion, love for music, and endearment to To Write Love on Her Arms reminded me of my daughter," Wolpert said.

While Klezek and France are now at college, Mcgrane is spearheading the second-annual concert at Agoura High School. "She has a team of assistants and teachers' support. I am her partner from a mother's perspective," Wolpert said. 

The concert will be Saturday Oct. 8, from 12-5 p.m. The entrance fee is $3. Eight bands are scheduled to perform. There will be food, drinks, baked goods, shirts and "To Write Love on Her Arms" apparel for sale.

"We are excited at the prospect of many schools coming and joining together to openly address and help each other through support," Wolpert said. "It was a great afternoon last year, and I’m sure it’s going to be just as great this year."

"Elizabeth has not only dedicated herself to continuing this much-needed awareness for those suffering from depression, anxiety, eating disorders, self-injury and suicide, but she has also managed to reach out to several other schools in the community who will also take part in Saturday's event. I know that she has reached out to Calabasas Hight School, Oak Park and Oaks Christian ... and I know we have kids from other schools coming as well," Wolpert said.

The concert is very important to Mcgrane. "Even if only one kid comes and he gets the message, that's the point of it," she said.  "It's a day to open your heart and love on each other."

Whiz Kid: Elizabeth Mcgrane

Grade:  12th

School: Agoura High School

Accomplishment:  Putting on the “Love, Be Loved, Grow Acoustic Afternoon” to benefit, To Write Love On Her Arms

Key to Awesomeness:  "Love, Be Loved, Grow, that's our motto. You have to love people and you also have to be willing to love.  And from that relationship you have to grow. That's why we do this," said Mcgrane.