Project Frontier Launches “Our Town, Our School, Our Story” Celebration Across Northwest Kansas

A unique opportunity to celebrate local schools and strengthen community pride is underway across Northwest Kansas, thanks to Project Frontier.

Jenny Mitchell with Project Frontier recently visited with Kristina from NWKS Radio to share details about the initiative and the important work the organization is doing in schools and communities throughout the region.

What is Project Frontier?

Project Frontier is a grant-funded initiative supported by SAMHSA and operated through the Northwest Kansas Educational Service Center in Colby. The program serves schools across Northwest Kansas, including Cheyenne, Rawlins, Decatur, Norton, Sherman, Thomas, Sheridan, Graham, Wallace, Logan, Gove, Trego, and Lane counties.

Its mission is simple but critical--support mental wellness in schools and communities.

“We work with schools and communities to bring in mental health resources, suicide prevention training, substance use resources—just mental wellness support for students, staff, and community members,” Mitchell explained.

Project Frontier provides resources such as:

• Mental health education

• Suicide prevention training

• Substance use awareness

• Access to therapy services through partnerships like High Plains Mental Health

  
  

Mitchell emphasized that in rural communities, access to mental health care can be limited.

“Sometimes our access to mental health care isn’t right here in our community, so we’re working to bring those services directly into schools and make them easier to access,” she said.

Programs like the “Brain-Y” series help students better understand how their brains work, recognize emotions, and develop tools like mindfulness and breathing techniques to stay focused and ready to learn.

“Mental health is health care, and helping our kids access that—especially in rural areas—is incredibly important,” Mitchell added.

Celebrating School Pride: “Our Town, Our School, Our Story”

Alongside its mental wellness efforts, Project Frontier is launching a fun and meaningful campaign called “Our Town, Our School, Our Story.”

The community-wide celebration invites:

• Students

• Teachers and staff

• Parents

• Community members

• 
  

…to share what makes their local school special.

“We know our local schools are fantastic, and we want people to share what makes their school great,” Mitchell said.

Participants can submit their responses by scanning a QR code found around their community or by visiting the online form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeqPwH71AXMs-41oGf8s3elSOPaM2n_W1j5WX1d6PnNRgCAjw/viewform

A Little Friendly Competition

There’s also a competitive twist.

The school district with the most submissions by May 1, 2026 will receive:

• A special banner

• The title of “Most School Pride in NW Kansas”

  
  

“Who doesn’t want to be number one when it comes to school pride?” Mitchell said with a laugh.

How to Get Involved

Residents can find more information and links on the Project Frontier Facebook page.

Posters with QR codes will also be placed in local businesses, libraries, and public gathering spaces across the region.

Supporting Stronger Communities

Beyond the campaign, Project Frontier continues to offer free services to communities, including training and support for those impacted by mental health challenges or loss.

“All of our services are at no cost, and we want communities to reach out if they need support-whether that’s training, resources, or help navigating difficult situations,” Mitchell said.

By combining mental health resources with community engagement efforts like this celebration, Project Frontier is helping build stronger, more connected schools--and healthier communities--across Northwest Kansas.