At just 13 years old, Chelsea Hutchinson is already using her voice to tackle one of the biggest issues facing teens today – mental health.

The Davis County teen will compete in the All American Girl State Pageant this weekend in Cedar City, where she hopes to continue spreading awareness through her platform, “In Between the Lines.”

Chelsea said what began as a confidence-building opportunity quickly became something much more meaningful.

“I started noticing mental health struggles more, and the issues became very real to me,” she said. “I have people in my life who struggle with mental health, and I wanted to help bring more awareness to it and help people know they aren’t alone.”

The name “In Between the Lines” reflects the conversations many teens are afraid to have.

“Teens don’t like talking about depression, anxiety, and mental health struggles,” Chelsea said. “It’s scary, and it’s hard to even mention it sometimes. I want to bring awareness to the things people don’t want to talk about.”

Chelsea believes one of the biggest misconceptions adults have is assuming mental health struggles are always caused by parenting.

“Sometimes parents think it’s their fault,” she said. “But it could be school, friends, disabilities, or other struggles. It shouldn’t be hidden.”

She has seen firsthand how difficult it can be for teens to open up, especially when they fear judgment or punishment.

“One of my friends opened up about struggling, and instead of support, their phone and things got taken away,” she said. “After that they said, ‘I’ll never tell them again.’ That’s heartbreaking.”

Chelsea also said many warning signs are often missed because teens hide what they are going through.

“Some people seem happier, but there’s a mask there,” she said. “I had a friend whose grades started dropping, but I didn’t realize she was struggling because she acted fine.”

Her message to teens who feel alone is simple: “You don’t need to go through this by yourself. It’s OK to struggle, and people care about you.”

She encourages teens to support one another by listening, spending time together, and reminding friends they are loved.

“Sometimes just hanging out with someone can help so much,” she said.

Chelsea recently became involved with the Hope Utah Foundation, an organization focused on mental health awareness and suicide prevention. Through the foundation and pageant opportunities, she hopes to continue public speaking and helping make resources more widely known.

“I want to be the kind of person people feel they can come to,” she said. “I want people to know they are cared for.”

Chelsea credits much of her support to her family, especially her mother, who helped her get connected with resources and opportunities.

“My mom has been amazing through all of this,” she said.

As she prepares for the state pageant, Chelsea hopes her message continues reaching teens and families across Utah.

“I want adults to remind teens that they are loved,” she said. “Struggling doesn’t change their worth.”