Awareness day a success at DHS

Posted on: Mar 5, 2019

A handful of students and staff members, with the aid of various community supporters, put on the fourth annual Suicide Prevention and Awareness Day at Delano High School on Thursday, Feb. 28.

Speaker Terrence Talley addressed all 7-12 students with a message about how they matter, how they can make a difference, and how they should never give up. 

Fourteen students in the DHS COMPASS class (Character, Opportunity, Mentorship, Perseverance, Academics, Service and Success), along with advisors Marie Techam and Shallyn Tordeur, also organized a special walk-through area. Their stations educated students about mental health issues, provided resources and included fun activities like a “shred your worries,” a temporary tattoo stop and a video collage of students making “I will” statements about how they can assist those struggling with depression or other mental illnesses.

“This year was a little bit different because I think that the school is kind of seeing a little bit more of what COMPASS does,” said junior Emma Dahle. “It was cool to see how many students knew who we were, knew what we were about, and felt like they could come talk to us. I know a lot of students came to me yesterday, just wanting to talk about the day or needing comfort. It was really cool that we got to be that resource. The whole student body knew that we were there for them.”

Senior Tori Nelson agreed that progress has been made over four years of the annual event.

“I think it was our best year so far,” she said.

Tordeur said that was due in no small part to community support. Donations from the community covered the entire cost of Talley’s presentation, as well as some of the snacks passed out by students. 

“I think the biggest thing is that this gets people talking in a healthy manner,” said Tordeur. “It gets kids speaking out, and it helps kids not to be afraid to tell an adult when they’re struggling.”

Presentation
Talley gave three separate presentations to groups of seventh- and eighth-graders, freshmen and sophomores, and juniors and seniors. His message, illustrated with memorable stories, emphasized solidarity during difficult periods, reaching out to those struggling with various challenges, and perseverance.

Talley noted that suicide is the second-leading cause of death among the student-age population in the United States.

“It’s students giving up on the hope of life. It doesn’t have to be that way here,” Talley said. “You can help someone have hope. My hope is that I can work myself out of job, that there will be more students in COMPASS and I won’t need to come here anymore.”

At one point, after sharing about the power of “dad hugs,” he encouraged teachers and staff members to line the aisles and hug their students. It was a moment sophomore COMPASS student Lexis Will said was one of the most powerful of the presentation.

“I feel like a lot of people needed that, and I think a lot of teachers needed that too,” she said, adding that students and teachers alike were in tears.

Dahle agreed.    

“It was crazy to see how impactful it was for the teachers too,” she said. “I’m sure students think teachers are fine, but teachers go through a lot of the same things we go through. We have no idea. It was really cool to be able to relate in that way with your teachers and with the people you see every day.”

Feedback from students and teachers was overwhelmingly positive.

“So many teachers came up to us and thanked us for putting the day on,” said Techam. “Just going to the assembly and listening to the speaker -- I think it was really important to have the students see that the teachers care and are there for them.”

One story that was particularly meaningful to the seventh- and eighth-graders, according to junior COMPASS student Jaid Necas, was Talley’s admonition for students to be themselves and not try to change to fit in with others.

“I think that one put in reality for a lot of kids that you have to be careful when you go out to do these parties with drugs and alcohol,” he said. “If you’re faking who you are to hang out with a certain group, that can cause problems and you have to be careful.”

Talley also conducted an assembly open to the entire community later in the evening that included a faith-based message.

Organizing effort
COMPASS students worked hard to organize the day since the end of January, painting banners, taking photos for the video collage, setting up displays, designing memorabilia and more. The theme of the day was HOPE; Hold On, Pain Ends. The semicolon tattoos and the semicolon in the theme stand for a continuation where there could have been an ending.

“A huge part of the day is that we get to see our COMPASS kids find their place in our school,” said Techam. “When they’re working to put this on, I think they just get a sense of belonging and that they matter here.”

Tordeur said the sponsorships and messages of support from the community also made the day feel particularly fulfilling for the students.

“Every year it gets bigger and better, and I think that’s because we get more support from outside the school,” she said. “The community has been a great supporter of today. I think that is why it has had such great impact. It’s not just the school and teachers saying ‘This day matters,’ but the community says, ‘This day matters.’ So all in all, it was an amazing day.” 

Post Categories: High School