By: Rodney Sparow 

The Teen Race of Hope brought together over 450 teenagers along with family members, friends, and teachers on Sunday, May 18th at Pier 76, Hudson River Park. The event aimed to raise awareness about the challenges in youth mental health in the U.S. and address the stigma that continues to surround mental health.

Soul Cycle Master Instructor Stacey Griffith, social media influencer and mental health advocate, served as the emcee and DJ for the event. Her playlists helped energize the crowd as they gathered at the Race starting line, with the scenic pier and Hudson River as a backdrop.

HDRF Founding Chair Audrey Gruss spoke before the Race to recognize the teens for their participation and commitment to mental health awareness, emphasizing the foundation’s core mission.

Gruss stated: “Teen mental health is an important topic, and we are here to raise awareness and support for depression research. When it comes to your mental health, teens should keep in mind four key things: get a good night’s sleep, eat well, move your body with exercise, and take care of your mind.”

This year, Noelle Saldana, a senior at Fieldston School in the Bronx, and Anysa Bickici, a senior at Dalton School in Manhattan, served as Co-Lead Student Ambassadors.

Saldana remarked: “With each step we take today, we send a clear message. We are here, we care, and we hope for a future where mental health is prioritized. A future where no one feels alone and where hope is more than just a word.”

Bickici added: “We all come together because we recognize the mental health challenges facing our generation. We understand that progress is needed in pharmaceutical research, classrooms, and social media. When we look at the crowd, we see hope — hope for the future, hope for our generation, and hope for change.”

Following the Race, a representative from NYC Teenspace/Talkspace discussed its program, launched by the New York Department of Health and powered by Talkspace, which offers free therapy to NYC teens aged 13-17. Participants were encouraged to consider signing up for the service if interested.

The Teen Race of Hope is a 5K (3.1 mile) U.S. Track and Field-certified race. At the starting gun, Noelle and Anysa led participants, all wearing HDRF’s signature sunshine yellow color with matching caps and t-shirts, on a scenic 5K course starting at Pier 76 Hudson River Park and continuing along the esplanade with views of the Hudson River.

The event was supported by a team of 25 Student Ambassadors who worked to raise awareness within their school communities. Schools represented included: Brooklyn Technical, Chapin, Dalton, Fieldston, Lucy Beckham, Marymount New York, Newtown, Nightingale-Bamford, Phillips Exeter Academy, Riverdale Kingsbridge, Spence School, Stuyvesant, Trevor Day School, West Essex, Greenwich, and Dwight Englewood.

Participants ran competitively, walked, or strolled with friends. Regardless of pace or age, all racers were united by a shared purpose — to support research into new approaches for depression treatment and to challenge the stigma still associated with seeking help.

This event is HDRF’s only Race of Hope in New York City and the first that is youth-focused. HDRF also hosts annual Races of Hope in Palm Beach, FL and Southampton, NY.

After the Race, at the closing ceremony, Audrey Gruss presented awards to the leading finishers. The first prize for Male Finisher went to Max Berkson (18:55:62), and the first prize for Female Finisher went to Bernadette Demarco (22:59:16).

Second place for Male Finisher was awarded to Alex Wlodarczak (21:38:43), and second place for Female Finisher went to Ryan Murray (24:22:34). Third place for Male Finisher was given to Robb Armstrong (21:49:87), and third place for Female Finisher went to Caroline Luft (24:31:41).

The school spirit award was presented to Newton High School in Elmhurst, NY, whose team included 115 racers.

HDRF Executive Director Louisa Benton thanked all the Student Ambassadors and presented special awards to the Co-Lead Student Ambassadors, Noelle Saldana and Anysa Bickici.

All Race participants received commemorative t-shirts, race hats, race bibs, and finisher medals. Medals were awarded to first, second, and third place finishers.

The Teen Race of Hope was supported by a dedicated team of Teen Race Ambassadors, including Sophia Blackwelder, Alva Carlston, Jolina Chow, Athena Climaco, Hannah Diker, Devin Donlon, Sam Firoozi, Grace Fisher, Lexi Goldberg, Leslie Hernandez, Tamara Honcharuk, Klarke Johnson, Christopher Keemss, Abigail Kidd, Caleb Lee, Angelina Lee, Angela Liu, Tiffany Ly, Riley Mountford, David Negrin, Angel Situ, Sienna Vadi, Alexandra Velazquez, and Tiffany Wang.

Since 2006, HDRF has worked to bring together leading brain researchers from multiple universities to share data and expertise in the pursuit of new and improved treatments for anxiety and depression. The foundation also aims to raise awareness about depression as a medical illness and to educate the public, helping to reduce the stigma that still surrounds it.

About Hope for Depression Research Foundation (HDRF)

HDRF was founded in 2006 by philanthropist Audrey Gruss in memory of her mother Hope, who experienced clinical depression. The mission of HDRF is to encourage innovative brain research into the origins, medical diagnosis, potential new treatments, and prevention of depression and its related mood disorders — including bipolar disorder, postpartum depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, and suicide. The World Health Organization has identified depression as a leading cause of disability worldwide, and conventional medications currently available do not appear to be fully effective for approximately 50% of patients. HDRF is dedicated to advancing the mental health landscape for individuals across the United States. The Foundation has provided more than $85 million through over 200 grants supporting depression research that aims to enhance understanding and improve how depression is viewed, diagnosed, treated, and potentially prevented. Currently, HDRF supports a potential new class of medication in pilot clinical trials at Mount Sinai Medical Center and Stanford University. HDRF is also funding clinical trials of other novel therapeutics and diagnostic tests at Johns Hopkins, University of San Diego, and the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Several other pilot clinical trials of new treatments are underway, stemming from the drug discovery research conducted by its Depression Task Force, a collaborative effort involving leading brain scientists from around the world.

Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The Hope for Depression Research Foundation (HDRF) and related individuals mentioned do not guarantee specific outcomes from research or programs discussed. Readers should consult qualified healthcare professionals for medical concerns. Participation in events or support of organizations is voluntary.