Parent Teacher Magazine Union County Public Schools - May/June 2019 | Page 11
Piedmont High students ‘Break the Silence’ on mental health issues
Suicide and suicide
attempts are serious public
health problems that
transcend genders, ethnicities
and area codes.
Yet, far too often teens
find themselves struggling
with feelings of depression
and anxiety in silence because
of pervasive stigmas and long-
held misconceptions attached
to mental health issues.
“At the time, I felt like I
was all alone and I remember
thinking that I can’t be the
only one going through this,”
Piedmont High senior Micah
Fagala said. “So I wanted to
create a space where people
can’t be alone and we can
talk and be open about it.
There are more people going
through this than you can imagine.”
With the support of her family, Piedmont High school leaders
and the district’s Student Support Office, Micah created that safe
space at her school: the Piedmont High Break the Silence Club.
Under the guidance of school counselors and club sponsors,
Break the Silence is a student-led club that aims to remove
stigmas associated with mental health. Club members also
educate their peers and faculty on detecting suicide warning signs
and how to recognize when a student may be going through their
own bout with depression or anxiety.
When Micah introduced the club to the student body, she
wasn’t entirely sure how many students would want to be a part of
it. After all, she said, it’s a really hard topic to talk and hear about.
However, to Micah’s surprise, as many as 20 students packed
into Break the Silence’s interest meeting and shared their own
stories about why the club is so important and needed. At
the second meeting, local nonprofit Heart for Monroe shared
information about their organization’s mental health resources with
club members.
Social and emotional learning, and providing equitable access
to critical mental health resources, has been a priority across the
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district this school year.
In addition to hiring
additional school social
workers, mental health
therapists and school
counselors in each of the
district’s nine clusters, more
than 200 UCPS support staff
members will also receive
specific training in suicide
intervention protocols by the
end of the school year.
But what is unique about
this club, Piedmont High
counselor Joanna Ellis said,
is that it gives students an
opportunity to also join and
lead conversations about
social and emotional health
at the school level.
“Micah just wants to
make a change and she felt
strongly that this is a way to do that. Sometimes it has to come
from the students,” Joanna added. “As staff, we try so hard to do
things -- and the students see it and hear us -- but sometimes
it’s not until one of them takes on the responsibility to start a
conversation that their peers start to see things in a different
way.”
In the coming months, Micah said she’s excited to see the club
grow in both the school and community.
In fact, community organizations, such as the Union County
System of Care Collaborative Partners, have already been
involved with the club. The students are also making plans to
host a mental health awareness community fair in April with the
community’s support.
“I want this to keep going and be here for years to come. I
know the topic can be hard for people to talk about, but I feel
like it’s necessary for students to do this,” she said. “I’d love
to have this club be a model and grow to other schools and
school districts. I don’t want it to just be here. I want it to be
everywhere.”
If you know a student who is in crisis or in need of help,
please contact their school’s counselor or school social worker.
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Parent Teacher Magazine • May/June 2019 • 9