(WHTM) — The reigning Miss Pennsylvania is using her title to spread a very serious message.

Alysa Bainbridge visited students at Spring Grove Middle and High Schools on Tuesday to discuss mental health and the opioid crisis.

Bainbridge’s brother struggled with mental health issues and died from an overdose in 2018. Now, as Miss Pennsylvania, she’s on a mission to educate students and end the stigma around these topics.

“We need to have these conversations, we need to talk about it the same way we would talk about physical health so that we can get rid of that stigma and make sure people don’t feel ashamed if they’re struggling. You are so much more than your struggle, if you’re living with mental illness, you’re so much more than that and you are a person first,” Bainbridge said.

Bainbridge encouraged students to take care of their mental health and to be allies to their peers if they are struggling.