As most of you know, our community has suffered a terrible loss. We need not hide behind the stigma of suicide, or the fear that more will take their lives if we stand up and talk about it. Suicide IS preventable. Help IS available to our students and kids. But how do they KNOW that, if we don't talk about it.

Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program (see link, and please read "about us; how YR started") provides an amazing opportunity for all of the community to reach our youth and speak to them. To show them that there is help. This program teaches people what to do if a friend is suicidal, or if they themselves are hurting and is not sure what to do with the next 5 minutes of their life. Yellow Ribbon is a worldwide program that started right here in our own Westminster, Colorado. The students and friends of Mike Emme, a young man who took his life; created this amazing program and it has been a proven, running success since 1994.

We, as parents, teachers, community members, and caring concerned individuals want to help the school administrators in this terrible battle they face. With this petition, we are asking that Douglas County High School and Castle View High School open their doors and partner with concerned parents to allow the Yellow Ribbon Program into our schools. We humbly ask that they help lead the way in Castle Rock, that they agree to do whatever they can, to bring much needed aid and education to their hurting students and the community at large.

Please sign this petition and let our voices be heard. Let not one more of our youth believe that nobody cares, or that there is no help available. Funding for this program is already in place. There is no reason for us to say no to this much-needed program. Thank you!