Katelyn Woodside is the Executive Director of the VAPA Foundation, a nonprofit bringing transformative arts education into San Diego’s public schools. A classically trained violinist, longtime educator, and nonprofit leader, Katelyn is advancing a bold vision: healing through expressive arts. Her organization’s award-winning proposal will train teaching artists in expressive arts therapy and place them in 25 schools across the county—reaching nearly 5,000 students with creative tools for connection, confidence, and well-being.
This special episode of Stop and Talk was recorded LIVE at the Prebys Sparx Awards Breakfast, where the VAPA Foundation was honored as the grand prize recipient. Katelyn is joined by four outstanding Sparx honorable mention awardees—A Reason to Survive, Coastal Roots Farm, United Women of East Africa, and Youth Creating Change—each bringing powerful, place-based solutions to the youth mental health crisis.
This Episode:
What if the future of youth mental health isn’t found solely in clinics, but in classrooms, farms, and community spaces led by artists, mentors, and culture keepers?
With a growing youth mental health crisis and a shortage of clinical providers, communities are turning to innovative, non-clinical interventions rooted in creativity, culture, and nature. The Sparx award celebrates scalable, collaborative ideas that empower youth with agency and well-being outside the traditional healthcare system.
In this episode, Grant speaks with the five Sparx awardees. Together, they share how their work is rooted in cultural identity, creativity, and community connection—meeting young people where they are, and building healing from the ground up. Their work highlights how healing happens when we invest in the assets already rooted in our neighborhoods.
Key Moments:
- [6:38] Grant introduces the vision behind the Sparx Award and prize philanthropy
- [19:10] Katelyn shares how VAPA’s idea evolved through deep collaboration
- [23:58] Training artists to heal: the scale and ripple effect of their model
- [33:56] Honorable mentions present their work: A Reason To Survive (ARTS), Coastal Roots Farm, United Women of East Africa (UWEAST), and Youth Creating Change
- [43:17] Stan Collins (Youth Creating Change) on equipping youth with emotional literacy and mental health skills to care for themselves and others.
- [45:41] Eden Mengistu (UWEAST) on bridging generations through culturally rooted programs that open conversations about mental health in the East African community.
- [48:43] Javier Guerrero (Coastal Roots Farm) on reconnecting tribal youth to land, culture, and healing through ancestral farming practices.
- [50:49] Lucy Eagleson (ARTS) on creating a “third space” for youth to explore identity through art and grow as community-rooted mental health leaders.
Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
- A Reason to Survive (ARTS) – Lifting young people in the South County region of San Diego to become confident, compassionate, and courageous community builders through the transformative power of creativity.
- Coastal Roots Farm – Cultivating healthy, connected communities by integrating sustainable agriculture, food justice, and ancient Jewish wisdom.
- Prebys Sparx– Prebys Foundation’s award program for big ideas to improve mental and behavioral health for San Diego Youth through arts, culture, and nature. Learn more about the award programs.
- United Women of East Africa (UWEAST) – Providing health services, education and advocacy for the well-being of the East African community, women and families.
- VAPA Foundation – Enhancing the quality of, and access to, visual and performing arts education for K-12 students in the San Diego Unified School District.
- Youth Creating Change – Placing young people’s voices and creativity at the center of suicide prevention and mental health programming.
Take Action:
- Champion Community Healing – Support organizations that uplift youth through creativity, cultural connection, and time in nature.
- Engage with Arts, Culture, and Nature – Experience firsthand how these practices foster healing, connection, and joy.
- Start the Conversation – Talk with young people in your life about emotions, mental health, and ways to cultivate well-being.
- Advocate for Prevention – Urge local leaders to invest in non-clinical, community-rooted approaches that meet youth where they are.
- Share This Episode – Spread the word about creative, community-led solutions by sharing this episode with educators, healthcare providers, or changemakers in your network.
Credits:
This is a production of the Prebys Foundation
Hosted by Grant Oliphant
Co-Hosted by Crystal Page
Co-produced by Crystal Page and Adam Greenfield
Engineered by Adam Greenfield
Production Coordination by Tess Karesky
Video Production by Edgar Ontiveros Medina
Special thanks to the Prebys Foundation Team
The Stop & Talk Theme song was created by San Diego’s own Mr. Lyrical Groove.
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