Sources of Strength provides a unique way to directly help students in schools and prevent suicide. Training for the group began this week.

Around 30 students were recommended by school faculty who believed these students had influence in the West community. These students were from a range of all grades and backgrounds.

Freshman McKenna Webb reminisced about the experience saying that she made a lot of new friends. “I didn’t know anyone at first but now, because of all the team building activities that we did, I have a lot of new friends,” McKenna said.

Faculty from District 6 and CSU accompanied the students in training, also learning how to be Sources of Strength in a different role other than being the student’s peers. The training was led by a Sources of Strength representative from the Denver office who leads trainings in schools all over the nation.

While the thought of suicide and suicide prevention may be viewed as sad and even slightly overwhelming, the group and training is all but that. Faculty and students were collectively on the move all throughout the day, playing a variety of games and having personal discussion to connect everyone together. This helped students and faculty realize that mental health effects everyone differently and that we should all be conscientious towards each other.

Deep understanding and valuable information were shared in a creative way in order to equip students on how to handle a serious topic.

The training does not end there for participants either.  The strategies will be implemented into West and the group of leaders will continue to meet throughout the school year to plan more events to bring attention towards mental health. Many felt that it is difficult to speak about mental health and to ask for help; this is what Sources of Strength hopes to remedy for our students.

“Our mission is to spread hope, help, and strength into every corner of our community,” Webb said.