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As youth mental health continues to make headlines for all the wrong reasons—depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation are all up, according to the U.S. Surgeon General—two Cleveland High School teachers in Southeast Portland have an idea about how to help: Teenagers should talk to each other. Without phones.
That’s the radical concept behind Teens Connect PDX (instagram.com/teensconnectpdx), a new program founded by science teacher Brian Fain and former Cleveland health teacher Gaye Chapman. Starting in September, Fain and Chapman plan to host three in-person talking circles weekly in the SolTerra building in Southeast Portland, where students will build community, share experiences and support each other. It’s not group therapy, more like a guided discussion, and fees will be on a sliding scale. Phones aren’t invited.
“It’s an important part of belonging and connection that’s missing right now, face to face,” Chapman says.
For Chapman, Teens Connect PDX is a continuation of the work she was doing as a health teacher in classes such as Building Consent Culture and Mindful Studies, both of which were cut last year.
For Fain, it’s an outgrowth of the Healthy Masculinity Club that he’s been hosting at lunchtime at Cleveland for five years, which made national news in 2024. Being a teacher has given Fain a front-row seat to the youth mental health crisis. But he also says the Healthy Masculinity Club, which meets for 20 minutes once a week, has seemed to really help students. “A lot of the guys have told me that it’s the best part of their week,” Fain says. Discussions work through tough subjects like privilege and objectification, but always take time to celebrate the positive parts of boyhood, too.
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