September is National Suicide Prevention Month. During this month, there are many things we can do to raise awareness. On September 10th, the members of the HOSA club of our school sold purple glow in the dark bracelets during the student’s advisory classes. All of the proceedings will be given to a non-profit organization that supports Suicide Prevention Awarness and research. 

Suicide has always been a problem in our society; unfortunately, suicide rates have increased in recent events. This makes it even more important to always spread awareness and provide support to those in need. Kimberly Barradas (12) expressed her thoughts on the mental health of teenagers during an interview with Noelle Cocke (12): “It really hits home knowing that many teens struggle with the mental health aspect of school and negative life. It’s something that we live through everyday, and it’s sad that people don’t know how to talk about the fact they can’t handle it.”

Our school is extremely proactive in the sense of spreading awareness and being supportive of our students in need. They strive to recognize and catch possible issues involving our students in order to prevent terrible outcomes. There are plenty of ways to reach out to someone outside of the school. Some of these ways may include calling the suicide hotline, 1-800-273-TALK(8255). Another outlet for students could be their doctor, the local emergency room, or a trusted adult. It’s okay to seek help. Just know that you are not alone.