Mrs. Ohio and Miami University partner on ambassador role for School-Based Center of Excellence for Prevention and Early Intervention
Anedra Million earned two degrees from Miami on way to making history at Mrs. America competition
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Published
Anedra Million ’97, ’01 M.Ed., the 2024 Mrs. Ohio, will serve as ambassador for Ohio’s School-Based Center of Excellence for Prevention and Early Intervention.
Mrs. Ohio and Miami University partner on ambassador role for School-Based Center of Excellence for Prevention and Early Intervention
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Published
Anedra Million ’97, ’01 M.Ed. is committed to amplifying student voices, whether that is through social emotional learning, mental health initiatives, or drug and alcohol abuse and prevention programs.
Million, a teacher at Highview Sixth Grade Center in Middletown, uses her platform as Mrs. Ohio to share those principles. Soon, she’ll be using another platform — as the ambassador for Ohio’s School-Based Center of Excellence for Prevention and Early Intervention.
The partnership is a natural one, said Cricket Meehan, executive director of the center, which is based in Miami University’s Department of Psychology.
“Dr. Million’s enthusiasm for this very important work is inspiring,” Meehan said. “It aligns with our vision and mission perfectly.”
Staff, faculty, graduate and undergraduate students, and community partners at the School-Based Center of Excellence for Prevention and Early Intervention work to build confidence, competency, and innovation in school-based prevention and early intervention..
One priority for the center is to build collaborative relationships with schools and community agencies in an effort to address the mental health and school success of children and adolescents through promoting expanded mental health programs and services.
Million received both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Miami before completing her Ph.D. In 2024, she was crowned Mrs. Ohio and later earned runner-up status at the Mrs. America competition in August.
The performance was historic. Million was the first Mrs. Ohio to finish in the top two at Mrs. America in nearly 30 years. Should the current Mrs. America win the Jan. 30 Mrs. World Pageant in Las Vegas, Million will be named the new Mrs. America.
“As a first-generation college student and the first in my family to graduate with a doctorate degree, I am grateful for the educational foundation that Miami University has gifted me,” Million said. “I have continued to take all that Miami has given me throughout my nearly three decades as an educator. I am most looking forward to amplifying the causes of mental health, social emotional learning, and student voice.”
As part of Million’s new role, she hopes to implement a statewide Mental Health Awareness Day, as well as potentially a week that is dedicated to mental health for school districts across Ohio. Another of Million’s goals is embedding more mental health and social emotional learning programs in school districts, both statewide and nationwide.
Million also plans to advocate for a Student Voice Day where students can champion causes important to them, as well as continuing to support drug and alcohol prevention programs.
“It is so important for students to understand the importance of making informed choices that will impact their today and their tomorrow,” Million said.
“I want to amplify student voices and the importance of students being at the heart of education.”
Million will serve as the keynote speaker at the center’s annual conference. Meehan noted this is the first ambassador for the center, and she is excited for the possibilities the collaboration will bring.
“We’ve never had an opportunity like this before to bring our message to groups of people who will be very excited about connecting with Dr. Million,” Meehan said. “There are young people who will be very inspired by her and her message and adults who we can reach in different ways. It will be very exciting to see how this grows.”
Million, a teacher at Highview Sixth Grade Center in Middletown, uses her platform as Mrs. Ohio to share those principles. Soon, she’ll be using another platform — as the ambassador for Ohio’s School-Based Center of Excellence for Prevention and Early Intervention.
The partnership is a natural one, said Cricket Meehan, executive director of the center, which is based in Miami University’s Department of Psychology.
“Dr. Million’s enthusiasm for this very important work is inspiring,” Meehan said. “It aligns with our vision and mission perfectly.”
Staff, faculty, graduate and undergraduate students, and community partners at the School-Based Center of Excellence for Prevention and Early Intervention work to build confidence, competency, and innovation in school-based prevention and early intervention..
One priority for the center is to build collaborative relationships with schools and community agencies in an effort to address the mental health and school success of children and adolescents through promoting expanded mental health programs and services.
Million received both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Miami before completing her Ph.D. In 2024, she was crowned Mrs. Ohio and later earned runner-up status at the Mrs. America competition in August.
The performance was historic. Million was the first Mrs. Ohio to finish in the top two at Mrs. America in nearly 30 years. Should the current Mrs. America win the Jan. 30 Mrs. World Pageant in Las Vegas, Million will be named the new Mrs. America.
“As a first-generation college student and the first in my family to graduate with a doctorate degree, I am grateful for the educational foundation that Miami University has gifted me,” Million said. “I have continued to take all that Miami has given me throughout my nearly three decades as an educator. I am most looking forward to amplifying the causes of mental health, social emotional learning, and student voice.”
As part of Million’s new role, she hopes to implement a statewide Mental Health Awareness Day, as well as potentially a week that is dedicated to mental health for school districts across Ohio. Another of Million’s goals is embedding more mental health and social emotional learning programs in school districts, both statewide and nationwide.
Million also plans to advocate for a Student Voice Day where students can champion causes important to them, as well as continuing to support drug and alcohol prevention programs.
“It is so important for students to understand the importance of making informed choices that will impact their today and their tomorrow,” Million said.
“I want to amplify student voices and the importance of students being at the heart of education.”
Million will serve as the keynote speaker at the center’s annual conference. Meehan noted this is the first ambassador for the center, and she is excited for the possibilities the collaboration will bring.
“We’ve never had an opportunity like this before to bring our message to groups of people who will be very excited about connecting with Dr. Million,” Meehan said. “There are young people who will be very inspired by her and her message and adults who we can reach in different ways. It will be very exciting to see how this grows.”
Established in 1809, Miami University is located in Oxford, Ohio, with regional campuses in Hamilton and Middletown, a learning center in West Chester, and a European study center in Luxembourg. Interested in learning more about the School-Based Center of Excellence for Prevention and Early Intervention? Visit the website for more information.
