Carson Middle School students sign pledge in honor of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

During their Wednesday lunch hour, students at Carson Middle School took a pledge to help others struggling with suicidal thoughts in honor of National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.

The pledge was to "Acknowledge, Care and Tell." Acknowledge the feelings of others, tell them you care, and tell an adult.

The students also wore teal or purple, the colors of National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.

They signed their name to a banner acknowledging the pledge, and then signed their name to a badge and pinned it to a banner that had the pledge written on it.

Ron Swirczek, President of the Carson City School Board, attended the pledge to show his support. "I think it's important for all the schools to do a pledge, and for the kids to realize that suicide is real, and that they can help each other," said Swirczek. "This isn't a perfect world, but these kids hold the answer, just by helping each other."

Liliana Navarrete and Shania Carrillo are both students at Carson Middle School, and helped with the pledge.

"I think it's important because I lost someone to suicide," said Navarrete. "People need to know that life is worth living. People need to get help, even if they think it's not worth it, because things always get better at the end of the day. If something really bad happens to you, it just means something really good is coming."

"Everybody's life matters," said Carrillo, "whether they have problems or not. Everybody does. As a student, you have to let people know that they're going to be okay, and that they need to think about their future. You do have a life, and maybe it will turn out to be something great."

Each year, more than 41,000 individuals die by suicide, leaving behind their friends and family members to navigate the tragedy of loss. In many cases, friends and families affected by a suicide loss (often called “suicide loss survivors”) are left in the dark. Too often the feelings of shame and stigma prevent them from talking openly.

“September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month – a time to share resources and stories in an effort to shed light on this stigmatized topic,” said Victoria Smith, social worker at Carson Middle School. “We are using this school activity to encourage students to reach out for help so that we can connect individuals with suicidal ideation to treatment services.”

It is also important to ensure that individuals, friends and families have access to the resources they need to discuss suicide prevention, she continued. Research shows us that most people who attempt suicide give some sort of clue before they make an attempt. Just knowing the warning signs may be of tremendous help during a critical time.

Partnership Carson City will provide informational cards with a suicide hotline number to all students engaging in the lunch activity. Members of the CMS Upstanders Club will distribute the cards provided with the hotline number.

“While suicide prevention is important to address year-round, Suicide Prevention Awareness Month provides a dedicated time to come together with collective passion and strength around a difficult topic,” said Richard Stokes, superintendent for Carson City School District. “The truth is, we can all benefit from honest conversations about mental health conditions and suicide, because just one conversation can change a life.”

Smith said the best thing that parents or adults can do for children regarding suicide prevention is simply to open up the conversation. Some people are uncomfortable about talking about the subject, but letting your kids know they can talk to you about it is the first step to prevention and seeking help.

"If somebody is always sad, and you see them, you need to take action," said CMS student Navarrete. "You need to let them know that they're not alone, and that you care, even if you don't know them. You can make a new friend."

ABOUT Carson City School District

Located in Nevada’s capital, Carson City School District offers public education to approximately 7,600 students throughout Carson City. The district includes 6 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, 1 alternative high school and 1 comprehensive high school. Carson City School District boasts many successes including impressive graduation rates, strict safety measures, programs for gifted students and advanced-placement classes, among several others. In a joint venture with Western Nevada College, the Carson City School District Jump Start College program allows students to complete their senior year of high school and freshman year of college simultaneously. For more information, visit www.carsoncityschools.com.