Las Vegas Student Hanna Aschenaki Uses Music And Advocacy To Challenge School Bullying And Elevate Mental Health

Hanna Aschenaki, a student from Las Vegas, is using a multidimensional approach that blends advocacy, art, and public dialogue to address one of the most persistent challenges in education: bullying. Her campaign, rooted in personal experience and public service, aims not only to reduce harmful behavior in schools but also to promote mental wellbeing as a long-term community value. Drawing on her talents as a violinist and vocalist, Aschenaki is cultivating a platform where creative expression meets purposeful activism.

Her journey began at the middle school level, where she organized her first anti-bullying initiative. What started as a local awareness effort has since developed into a broader public campaign, with recognition from media outlets including Fox News. Her work continues to evolve in response to growing concerns about mental health among youth, particularly in educational environments where bullying remains under-addressed. “Mental wellbeing should be part of the curriculum,” Aschenaki has said, citing her own attempts to introduce a structured anti-bullying program to school leadership. While full adoption of the curriculum has not yet been achieved, her advocacy remains focused on systemic change.

A distinctive element of Aschenaki’s work is her focus on language and visibility. Through weekly social media-based discussion groups, she creates spaces for students to share experiences and examine the impact of stress, peer pressure, and exclusion. Her goal is to dismantle stigmas around mental health while offering practical strategies for emotional support. “Our mind not only matters for the present but also affects how we envision our future,” she said. “Mental health doesn’t equal mental illness. It’s also about mental strength, reflection, and routine.”

Music plays a key role in her advocacy. Aschenaki, an accomplished violinist, has been selected as chairmaster multiple times for regional and national competitions, and her school orchestra has won accolades at international events. These experiences have allowed her to appreciate music not only as a skill but as a tool for communication and social connection. Her performances serve as a backdrop to the deeper message of her campaign: that mental resilience can be cultivated through discipline, creativity, and support networks.

She also brings these messages to life through songwriting. Aschenaki released her first single, In the Middle by Hanna A, which reflects the social complexities of teenage relationships and identity. A second single, Cool Kids, is forthcoming and continues her exploration of how social dynamics shape youth self-perception. These songs serve as both creative expressions and calls to awareness, reaching an audience that may be more attuned to emotional messages through music than traditional advocacy.

Her statistics-based approach strengthens the case for her campaign. With an estimated 20 percent of students experiencing bullying, the ripple effects of such trauma are far-reaching. Aschenaki emphasizes that early exposure to emotional harm can translate into long-term difficulties, including anxiety, depression, and disengagement from learning environments. “We are the next working generation,” she said. “If we don’t support mental health now, we will inherit a weaker society tomorrow.”

The campaign is guided by several principles that reflect Aschenaki’s personal philosophy. Among them: “No complaining about a situation unless you’re prepared to do something to make it better,” and, “All you need is a little delusion and audacity and you can seriously do anything in this life.” These statements highlight a core tenet of her work—resilience must be taught, modeled, and encouraged at every level of community interaction.

In quoting Gandhi—“Satisfaction lies in the effort not in the attainment, full effort is full victory”—Aschenaki signals that success in advocacy may not always be immediate or quantifiable. Instead, she values persistence, daily effort, and staying committed to outcomes that might take time to manifest. “The higher you climb, the quieter it gets. That’s not loneliness, that’s focus,” she adds, pointing to the challenges of staying grounded in a movement that is still gaining traction.

Through her blend of grassroots organization, public speaking, and musical output, Aschenaki continues to challenge the narrative that students must wait until adulthood to shape public discourse. Her voice stands out not just because of what she is saying, but because of how she is saying it—through orchestrated sound, structured dialogue, and consistent engagement.

Hanna Aschenaki’s work and ongoing updates can be followed through her social media accounts: Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube. Her Fox News feature is also available via Fox5 Vegas.