Providing Hope To Struggling Peers

By PAOLA TRUJILLO

The Progress

A new club at Virgin Valley High School is providing hope to students who are struggling with depression and other mental health issues in the post-COVID world.

The Hope Squad, established at VVHS in the middle of the 2021-2022 school year, plugs the school into a peer-to-peer suicide prevention program with over 1,200 schools nationwide participating.

In the midst of the pandemic, VVHS counselors Whitney Jensen and Angela Leavitt were introduced to the Hope Squad idea while watching a suicide awareness documentary called “My Ascension.” The film is about a 16-year-old varsity cheerleader who was left paralyzed after a suicide attempt. The film chronicles her journey back from that experience and her commitment to help others find hope.

After watching this inspiring story, Jensen and Leavitt decided to introduce the idea of a Hope Squad to the VVHS community.
“Many of [our] students have struggled or are struggling with mental health,” said Jensen. “We need to help educate, not only the struggling students, but others in their support system who can help.”

Many VVHS teachers volunteered immediately to become advisors in the new program. They went through a rigorous training to learn the signs of suicide and how to approach them. Then they use that knowledge to train a core group of students at the school: the Hope Squad.

To select that core group, VVHS students were asked to write down three peers whom they trusted. The students who received the most nominations from their peers were invited to be a part of the Hope Squad.

The student group began their training last Spring. Every Tuesday the group met after school and received training about recognizing the signs of suicide. They learned how to talk to a struggling peer, how to bring up the subject of mental health and much more.

The members of the group wore their Hope Squad attire every Tuesday of school and each had a chance to give a positive quote over the intercom during morning announcements. This way, the VVHS student body would begin to recognize those kids as trusted members of the program.

The VVHS Hope Squad was even donated a generous amount of money by the Scott Webb Memorial Golf Tournament so that the group could continue to spread their message and reduce youth suicide in the community.

“We are only in our second year, and it is a process to truly make an impact on the school climate,” said Jensen. “However, I do believe many more students feel comfortable talking about mental health and it is becoming less and less something that kids are feeling ashamed of,”

The club has been important, not only to bringing mental health awareness and ending the stigma around it, but also in teaching students key information to help out their peers.
“Being able to help people in need really makes me happy,” said Hope Squad member Angel Garcia. “Plus, we are helping realize the importance of mental health. Joining (Hope Squad) was a pretty easy decision for me. If I could help someone, then I had to join.”

The Hope Squad, which this school year is made up of 26 students and 7 advisors, is just beginning its journey to learn about suicide, mental health, and how to help struggling peers. The students have already been active participating in the Homecoming parade, putting up positive posters around the school during anti-bullying month, planning fundraisers and activities and more.

The Hope Squad has posted papers around the school with QR codes leading to a slide presentation made by the local advisors and students themselves. If a student is struggling they can easily scan the code and contact one of the advisors or squad members.

The members of the Hope Squad are looking to continue the program’s second year by getting the word out about squad members and that they are there to help.
“One message that I’d like to share is that anyone can be in a mental health crisis,” said Leavitt. “Suicide does not target a certain group or fit specific guidelines. People that may look like everything is great on the outside may really be struggling on the inside.”

“We have to be better about looking out for each other and reaching out for help when our own coping skills are not working,” Leavitt added.

Jensen also talked about what a widespread problem suicide prevention and mental health awareness is. “Every human will either experience mental health concerns or will know someone who struggles,” she said. “As cliche as it sounds, knowledge is power. The more you know the more you can help!”

If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts, reach out to someone you trust or contact the Suicide and Crisis Hotline at 988. The hotline is available 24 hours a day.