If you’ve been on social media in the past month, you’ve probably scrolled past video after video of friends and students drenching themselves in freezing water and tagging others to do the same like I have. It’s loud, it’s viral and it’s called the USC Speak Your Mind Ice Bucket Challenge. But despite the splash, I think the message behind it is quietly slipping away.
The challenge was launched in April 2025 by Wade Jefferson, a junior at the University of South Carolina, after losing two close friends to suicide. His aim was to raise awareness for mental health and help break the stigma that surrounds it.
What began as a small goal to raise $500 has rapidly spread across the nation, with even celebrities joining in on TikTok and Instagram and currently raising about 408,000. By spring break, the challenge reached Westport and dozens of Staples students participated, it didn’t take long before I was tagged too. Something I noticed, though, were many students barely mentioned mental health if at all. They simply tagged the next person in line, with no reflections, no resources.
The Staples community is one that advocates greatly for mental health. It’s also a place where many students would genuinely appreciate support and motivation from their peers, so if the community is going to truly honor Jefferson’s intention, we must bring mental health back to the center of the conversation.
Without meaningful engagement from students around us, the USC Speak Your Mind Challenge risks becoming just another trend that people forget. But, that doesn’t have to be the case. If just one video makes a difference for someone, that is a step forward.
Mental health is not a one-day campaign. It’s a long, ongoing effort. The challenge started with heartbreak and hope, and if we want to do it justice, Staples can’t just go through the motions. If you are interested in donating, you can donate here.
