We are a group of juniors attending Woburn Memorial High School. We have noticed the increase in the amount of toxic relationships - whether it's friendships or romantic relationships - and it needs to be stopped now. It is affecting millions of students and teenagers across the U.S. Even locally, just at WMHS, way too many people have either been in a toxic friendship or romantic relationship or know someone who has. The worst part is, they may not even know it and they may not be able to cut those kinds of people out of their lives as easily as you might think.

We believe that bringing awareness to this issue, teaching students to recognize the potential red flags of their relationships, and helping students safely get out of these toxic relationships will help us take the steps necessary to reach a solution.

A guidance counselor for talking to students specifically about toxic relationships will not only protect students experiencing unhealthy relationships, but will educate all on what is healthy, what is unhealthy, and what is abusive. Whereas going to a therapist might not be the best option for some, a counselor right in the school is accessible to everyone and makes having these conversations easier and less stressful.

This is why we care about decreasing the amount of unbalanced and unhealthy relationships among students of WMHS and why we believe that a specific guidance counselor is the best way to work towards a solution. Don't let victims of abusive and toxic relationships suffer in silence, be a part of the movement to create healthier and safer relationships for students.