Meet Cece, Be Strong’s National Student Volunteer Spotlight!
Resilience like Cece’s is forged and tempered in adversity. By her 13th birthday, she’d survived a hurricane, car wreck, house fire, and being bullied. Beyond experiencing both trauma and loss, what she came out with was a thorough understanding of how important community and truly being there for one another are.
Fast forward to 2025, Cece is a 16-year-old high school junior, team soccer goalie, and dedicated Be Strong Student Representative in her Tom’s River, NJ community. She applied to join Be Strong in 2023 to help demonstrate to her peers that even though it’s often perceived to demonstrate weakness, asking for help is a sign of strength.
“I realized that I can’t help everybody the way I want to and that a lot of people are struggling.
I believe my community needs Be Strong because we don’t have enough resources for mental health for students and athletes,” Cece explained. “I want to see people try to help others find healthy ways to cope with mental health instead of judging or watching them struggle.”
Remembering what it’s like to be in a big, new environment, Cece is quick to welcome new students or take in the underclassmen at soccer tryouts. Seeing her peers struggle with their emotions or external situations is a major motivator for her, especially when she notices they’re going at it alone.
“I feel mental health isn’t talked about enough,” she said. “To help others, I let them know I’m there for them whenever they need me, and I continue to check in on them often. I notice that most people, if they see something happening, they won’t say anything or try to help because they are scared of what will happen to them if they do. Sometimes someone just needs one person to help in a tough situation. I love to help spread kindness and show people they are resilient!”
In addition to everything she’s been through, Cece credits her time as a leader with Be Strong for helping her to see things from a different perspective and recognizing that so many different things – from a bad grade to the loss of a home or loved one – can be devastating. No one’s pain is more important than another’s, regardless of where it starts.
“I try my best to offer people an opportunity to talk with someone at their own pace and not feel pressured” – Cece
On behalf of her fellow Student Reps, Cece would like to say to the Be Strong community, “Thank you for giving us a chance and seeing us as a valuable tool for others!”
To learn more about Be Strong’s free programs, email getstarted@bestrong.org.
If you’re interested in joining the cause and supporting students like Cece, click here to donate.
To nominate a student to lead change with Be Strong’s innovative student volunteer program, visit nominate.bestrong.global today.
