Helena Albert's youthful energy and petite frame are the easily identifiable hallmarks of a typical 14-year-old girl.

But one conversation with the Dunmore teen hints at an old soul hiding behind the pretty face that is all long lashes and endless mounds of curly, dark blonde hair.

Helena is like most well-rounded kids. She's an active freshman at Scranton Preparatory School, where she is involved with chorale, chorus, the Prep Players, SPETA Club, Mock Trial and Ski Club.

But in her free time, she uses her voice and talent as a songwriter to empower others who, like her, have faced the pressures of bullying, the effects of depression, the temptations of alcohol and smoking, or the looming dark shadows of suicide and self-harm.

Helena recently released a music video for her song "Pushed Away," which she co-wrote with her vocal teacher Susan Collins of the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music in New York. The idea for the tune came from journals Helena kept while she endured relentless bullying from her peers and which detail her personal struggle with finding a way to help a troubled friend.

Filmed locally

Recorded over two long sessions, "Pushed Away" was co-produced by Grammy and Emmy Award-winner Art Labriola, and the music video was filmed locally by area auteur Joe Van Wie. So far, it has garnered more than 4,000 views on YouTube, and has attracted the attention of the nonprofit To Write Love on Her Arms, which aims to help people dealing with issues like addiction and self-harm, according to Helena.

To Write Love on Her Arms reached out after watching her video, she said, and has expressed interest in giving a talk at her school.

It's quite an accomplishment for the girl who has had to change schools three times because of bullies who targeted her mostly because of the very thing she gets the most compliments on: her full head of hair.

"I feel like kids will say anything to make themselves feel better," Helena said with a shrug. "No matter what, people just want to see you fall. And you've got to just stand up and say, 'I'm not going to.'"

Though she endured torment for years, Helena said she was never alone because many of her peers went through it, too. Not all of them adopted the mature attitude she did, however.

"I've seen how bullying can lead to self-destruction. I've seen people fall apart," she said. "At such a young age, to have one of your best friends thinking about hurting themselves, that's pretty scary.

"People blow it off, but I've seen bullying take lives. How many people are going to have to kill themselves for people to get that words hurt?"

The turning point for Helena was around age 13, when she finally confronted her tormentor.

"I realized I can either let this get to me, or I can make them realize that I can get through it," Helena said. "You have to stand up for yourself, because if you don't, no one else is going to. You shouldn't be afraid to walk the world alone, but you shouldn't have to walk the world alone."

Idol advocate

She gives credit for her wisdom and strength to her mother, Dawn Albert, and her idol, pop star Demi Lovato, who became an outspoken advocate against bullying, eating disorders, substance abuse and self-harm after revealing her own personal struggles with the behaviors.

"After Demi came out with her story, I thought, 'She's right; I don't have to deal with this,'" Helena said. "No one deserves to go through anything alone. I'm not trying to be someone else. I'm just trying to stand up for what I believe in."

The response to her message has been overwhelmingly positive, her mom added.

"She's helped so many kids, it's unbelievable," Mrs. Albert said. "A lot of parents, especially since the song (came out), will not only congratulate but (also) share stories of how their kids are being bullied, or friends of their kids are being bullied. At church, a woman came up to me and said to thank (Helena) for the song because it saved her nephew's life."

Encouraging greater mutual respect and love is what Helena is all about. In the future, she said, she'd like to continue making music with a strong message, but if that doesn't work out, she'd like to be a psychiatrist or lawyer who helps kids in other ways.

For now, she's in talks to remix the song and share it with other platforms to hopefully reach more listeners and empower others who are going through a rough time.

"Even if the song doesn't go any further, I've already had girls tell me I've helped them get help, and that's all that matters," Helena said. "I get hate, but at the end of the day, I'm proud of what I do, and so are the people that I love and care about, and their opinions are the only ones that matter to me."

Contact the writer: pwilding@timesshamrock.com, @pwildingTT on Twitter


Meet Helena Albert

Age: 14

Residence: Dunmore

Family: Parents, Dawn and Mark Albert; brothers, Marco, 22, and Zach, 20

Education: She is a freshman at Scranton Preparatory School.

Activities: Chorale, chorus, Prep Players, SPETA Club, Mock Trial, Ski Club

Claim to fame: She recorded and made a music video for "Pushed Away," her original song about the pressures facing teens. The video has had more than 4,000 hits on YouTube and gained interest from To Write Love on Her Arms, a nonprofit that works with people struggling with addiction, self-harm, depression and thoughts of suicide.

Aspirations: To attend University of Southern California or New York University for music, or to become a psychiatrist or lawyer. Be a fan To follow Helena Albert's music, visit her YouTube or Twitter (@halbert music) pages or her website, www.helena albert.com. More photos at thetimes-tribune.com