MONTAGUE – Hope Squads from Montague and Whitehall high schools recently banded together for a “Night of Hope,” hosted by The Playhouse at White Lake.
In concert with the Ava Vanderstelt Scholarship, the inaugural event raised money and awareness for mental health education, especially as it relates to young people.
“The kids got to get up on stage and present to community members why they felt the Hope Squad was important to our schools. It was really special to see them talk about the importance of mental health and promote the squad,” said Alyssa Bernardi, who along with Alecia Hughes is a Hope Squad advisor for Montague High School.
Hope Squad is a group of students nominated by their peers, who meet regularly to talk and learn about mental health. They are trained to note signs of distress in their fellow students and reach out to get them help and give them hope. The members also work toward educating the student body to reduce stigma and change the community’s culture.
At Montague High School, 21 members from all grade levels participate in Hope Squad. This is the second year for Montague’s Hope Squad, which hopes to keep expanding and adding more members each year.
“So far, it’s been very positive,” Bernardi said. “We’ve put on a ‘Mental Health Awareness Month’ in March for two years now, where we’ve given away goodies, talked about mental health in the announcements, and done mental health-related activities during lunches. I think this has gotten kids talking about mental health, or at least being more aware of it. I’ve already had several students ask me more about stigma and what that means.
“We are getting the word out about how it’s OK to talk about mental health, it’s OK to struggle, and it’s a good thing to check in on your friends. Although I don’t have the exact numbers, I know that students have already been referred to get help through this program, and I’m very thankful for that.”
As Bernardi explained, adolescents are more likely to talk to other adolescents than they are to adults. Bernardi remembers that when she was a teen-ager, she talked to her friends about difficult things much more than she spoke with parents or teachers.
Bernardi stressed the importance of students being trained to spot struggling peers and knowing what to do. They can alert counselors or other trust adults so they can get students the support they need.
Members of Montague’s Hope Squad are grateful to be involved and really want to make a difference in the lives of their peers who might need a listening ear from time to time.
“To be involved with a group that I know will have a lasting impact on individuals has helped me realize what a great community we have,” Montague senior Abby Woller said. “It also makes me more attentive to what I say to or about others because although it may not be with bad intentions, words matter.”
Said Montague junior Maizie Collins: “It’s important to have peers you know you can go to because many students are afraid of taking a big step and approaching an adult. It also helps that we are all high school students and have our own struggles. We are able to relate to our classmates and help them feel more comfortable talking about mental health.”
Photos courtesy of Montague High School
Woller, Collins, and fellow Hope Squad member Dylan Bailey stay busy with their class schedules and other extracurricular activities, but they agree the Hope Squad is well worth their time.
They are proud of the impact that the Hope Squad makes. In Woller’s case, she plans to apply what she’s learned with the Hope Squad to her life wherever she goes. She also appreciates Bernardi and Hughes for guiding Hope Squad members how to talk to someone who’s going through a difficult situation.
Last year, Bernardi and Hughes were first tasked with setting up the Hope Squad by recruiting student members and training staff, parents, and students. They taught the official Hope Squad curriculum to the student members and helped organize and supervise all Hope Squad activities and events.
Along with the members, the advisors watch for struggling students and field any concerns members and students may have about other students.
If a student is struggling, Bernardi, Hughes, and the Hope Squad make sure they get the appropriate help.
“I feel great being a part of this incredible program that we have going,” said Bailey, who is a Montague sophomore. “The group is able to put a smile on some people’s faces with the events we do. We have also been able to inform almost all the students about the warning signs of mental health issues so that they can make sure that their friends are OK.”
Follow the Montague Hope Squad on Instagram: @montaguehopesquad.
