Sometimes, being a teen is difficult. Being a person is difficult enough, but being a teen means going through immense academic pressure, complex relationships with peers and now more than ever an overwhelming presence of social media and technology. All of these factors and more may contribute to a feeling of hopelessness in life and feel as if life is not worth living at all (Compass Health Center). These feelings or thoughts can prove to be incredibly damaging to a teen’s mental and physical wellbeing. That is where an organization like Hope Squad comes in. Hope Squad is a program where teams of students are formed in order to promote mental wellness and foster a supportive culture. This club is unique in the fact that students must be nominated by others in order to join. When asked to describe their mission, LSW Hope Squad sophomore Ayana Taalo emphasizes the connection that the club is centered around.
“It’s a peer-to-peer suicide prevention,” Taalo said. “We try to encourage someone to talk to people when they need it in order to prevent the risk of suicide.”
There are three specific committees that are nestled within the umbrella of Hope Squad, including design, connection and event planning. Design makes different posters and creative advertisements for the club, whether it be for an event or an encouraging message. Connection focuses on building relationships both inside and outside of the club. They also plan Hopeful Fridays, which are events each Friday during lunch with activities aimed at spreading awareness for mental health. Event planning is a committee designated for planning events that focus on suicide prevention, including dine-outs, which goes towards Hope Squad activities and bringing in therapy dogs during the school day.
“In design, we do a lot on social media with announcements,” sophomore Valerie Rivera said. “A lot of people are on social media, so we believe many can see things that way, which is our goal.”
While the committees may be different in their tasks, they all have the same objective: Make people feel seen, and promote the importance of mental health in students’ lives as much as possible. According to the Hope Squad national webpage, the core values within the organization include leading with vulnerability, embodying a growth mindset and lifting people where they stand.
“I think our connection committee advocates for suicide prevention by having activities around the school that promote self love,” senior Jaylee Carlson said. “In general we do events that encourage lifting others up.”
In order to contact Hope Squad, students could reach out to anyone in the club or the club sponsor, Mr. Logan Waite, and they will be open to talk. If more immediate help is needed, one can contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, which provides free and confidential emotional support 24/7.
“To anyone thinking of reaching out to Hope Squad, I would say do it,” sophomore Nyla Oelling said. “Because people should know that they matter.”