Published May 21, 2021
By KEA YENGST
With her untraditional first year of high school concluding, CHS freshman Malia Stoney reflects on her distanced year and those she loves most.
A 10-year resident of Carmel, Stoney is no stranger to the CHS community, with her father, uncle, grandfather and aunt all being alumni.
Besides photography and baking, the freshman is passionate about mental health in a professional and personal setting. With a diagnosis of severe anxiety and a panic disorder at the age of eight, Stoney has grown comfortable opening up about her struggles to friends and family.
“To this day I still struggle with panic attacks from time to time, but I’ve come a long way,” Stoney says. “Years of support from my family, friends, and therapy have helped me find tools to become the person I am today.”
The aspiring trauma nurse wants to help out those with struggles similar to hers, no matter what age, while also normalizing discussions on mental health within the community.
“I think it’s super important to talk about mental health, because where I stand, it isn’t talked about enough,” Stoney says. “As someone who has struggled [with mental health] my whole life, I want to help people who may be too scared to open up or not understand what’s going on in their minds.”
Malia Stoney plans to play for the CHS softball team in the Spring 2022 season. She enjoys listening to Jack Johnson, Bob Marley and Harry Styles’ music and watching “Grey’s Anatomy” and an array of cooking shows with her mom.
