There have been 4 suicides the past 5 years in the district. Skyler Hunter, Jacob Ferguson, Paige Roessner, and Isaac Gau. Our school has been doing the bare minimum addressing the problem of suicide and it is getting worse. We need to make a change and I am here to announce that. There have been multiple people going to the administration speaking about suicide. There have been surveys going around the school, as well as other schools in the district, about how many teenagers suffer from depression. There needs to be a change and this needs to be more of a concern to our school. There has also been a survey going around our school about who students can talk to if they need help. According to the survey, most kids do not feel comfortable talking to the counselors, including myself. I went to a counselor last year when I was suffering with some issues. To sum it up, she apologized, told me to talk to my mom about it, and never followed up with me. I have talked to multiple students who have had the same experience. I understand that the counselors have a lot to do, but suicide is a serious matter. Kids are killing themselves. They no longer have the rest of their life to live out their dreams: it’s gone. School is already a place that most kids dread going to everyday. If kids are suffering inside, going to a place that they are not looking forward to, and knowing they can’t talk to the adults there, makes it worse for them. I am someone who has struggled mentally, and I am for sure not the only one. Just because someone doesn’t reach out, doesn’t mean that they aren’t suffering. Last year, there almost wasn’t a future for me. I was suffering from suicidal thoughts, I was so close. I wouldn’t have been able to experience college, job opportunities, new friendships, a significant other, a house of my own, kids, a family, and much more if I would have gone through with it. I have a wonderful family and a very positive support system, and I am still struggling. Just because kids walk through school with a smile on their face, tells us nothing. Some kids don’t have a great support system, and don’t have parents at home to go to. More adults at the school need to step up and be that person for them. Mental health, overall, needs to be spoken about during school. Elkhorn Public Schools wants students to participate in activities, and to get good grades. That is not always easy. It can be a struggle especially if they are depressed. Before pushing kids to focus so much on grades, let’s get into the right mind set first. I believe a start to the solution could be an all school assembly about the issue of suicide. Handing out bracelets that say suicide awareness and giving out cards, aren’t working, as kids are continuosly still committing suicide. We all have stories about times in our lives that haven’t been the greatest, but wouldn’t it be good to hear those stories to know you are not alone? I think so. We need to learn coping mechanisms to handle our stress in difficult times. Maybe join Ms Anderson’s group, “Active Minds” and learn more about mental health. There are many speakers that our school can reach out to in order to spread awareness. And if it costs money, wouldn’t you support a fundraiser or group that could save a life? I know I would.

Thank you to everyone who supported, I am so so thankful. If anyone needs someone to reach out to or want to join in on the efforts that are being made, please follow @activeminds_enhs on instagram.