Yesterday we contemplated how St Cecilia was able to impact so many people in such a difficult time. Then I spent the majority of the day today learning about a wonderful program that we’re bringing to my high school called Hope Squad. I kind of feel like God put those two ideas back-to-back in my life for a reason. I think that is the connection. Her message must have been something that gave people hope. After all, isn’t that the best way to make someone feel good? It’s all about having hope. What can we do to bring hope to the people around us who desperately need it?
Hope Squad is a program that has been in practice for more than a decade in other parts of the country. It started in Utah, and the founder of the program was here today to do training for us and then to present the program in an evening meeting that was open to our entire community. I got to attend the training because I jumped at the chance to be one of the advisors in our building. I’m in my 23rd year teaching there, and I think this might be the most important thing we’ve ever done.
Let me tell you about the program. It is designed to be a suicide prevention program. In 1997, Dr. Hudnall was an administrator at a high school where he had lost 5 kids to suicide over several years, when he got a terrible call to come to the park next to the school to identify a 14-yr-old who died from suicide. He said he got back to his car and was overcome by the whole thing. That was a breaking point for him. He started a task force to study the problem, and they created a program called circles of hope, which involves coordinating the services needed to get help for kids.
That was pretty successful, but they knew something was missing. The noticed that in almost every case of a kid lost to suicide, there are other kids who knew it was being contemplated, but they were afraid to tell an adult. This realization led to the creation of Hope Squad, a peer-to-peer program. I won’t get into the details of how it works, but the power is that it leads to a culture shift in the school. Of course there is a goal to prevent suicide, but the side effect is that there are kids in the building whose mission is to provide support to anyone who seems to be struggling, for any reason. And that attitude can be contagious.
As I said, I think this is the most important thing we’ve ever done. The process has been successful in hundreds of schools around the country and in Canada. I am excited to see where it will take us. I know we usually only hear about teenagers who get in trouble since they end up all over the news. But I spent the day learning about how to provide help to kids who are struggling, but also hearing about amazing kids who are making a difference for kids in their schools every day.
I hope this doesn’t seem too off topic from our journey through the lives of the saints. Actually, I think it is somewhat related because this is certainly the Lord’s work, even if I can’t use those words in a public school setting. Honestly, it makes me wonder if maybe that’s why I’m still in a public school setting. I wonder if I’m meant to minister in this way to kids, whether or not they have a faith life. Let’s all pray that kids and adults all around the world who feel hopeless find people who care enough to show the kindness and care they need.
Lord, thank You for sending us amazing examples of a Christian life as we learn about the saints. Thank You, too, for giving us examples in our everyday lives of people who share Christian ideals in the world. Let us all take advantage of opportunities to do Your work.