Editor’s note: This story discusses self-harm. If you or someone you know is in crisis call or text 988 to the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, 24/7. The Lifeline provides 24-hour, confidential support to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.  

As the school year begins, students face immense pressure from adults and themselves about their workload, grades, social or home life. Finding a place to prevent students from spiraling into a void of self-hatred and helplessness is imperative.

Sources of Strength is a suicide awareness club that creates a supportive community within the student body by helping students find their strengths instead of life’s negatives. According to its website, “the mission of Sources of Strength is to prevent adverse outcomes by increasing wellbeing, help-seeking, resiliency, healthy coping, and belonging.”

The club is advised by Algebra teacher Janell Brown and student president Laila Gumbs who ensures that students provide optimism to one another and the whole school. The club meets every other Wednesday after school and welcomes students to join anytime during the school year. Most recently, the club invited the student body to breakfast in the courtyard, with music, drinks and food. 

“They [students contemplating self-harm] are thinking that there is no reason for them to still be on this earth, that no one’s going to miss them, no one. So it’s all these negative aspects of their life. The more and more they keep throwing at themselves, the worse it becomes. And they essentially dig themselves a hole they don’t feel like they can get out of,” Brown said.

There can be many reasons students fall into such depressive states. A large stressor for many students can be the different elements of school.

“I think the stressors students can feel coming from school can add to the feeling that there is no more hope. That’s why Sources of Strength really does try to pull on what they do have; not all strengths are given in school. It’s not always friends and it’s not always family. It could just be walking outside and enjoying a view. So pointing those things out and realizing that side of it can help to at least realize that there is still hope and fun,” Brown said.

Sources of Strength tries to take some students’ negative perceptions about the school and change them by providing a safe space for students to witness and create goodness on campus.

“Sources of Strength is a student-led organization. [The club] is just there to help people and to make sure people are not alone. We talk about all types of strengths, like mental health, positive friendships and everything that’s on the [sources of strength’s] wheel. We also do fun activities and community work. We also plan a lot of [activities] in school and outside of school,” president Laila Gumbs (11) said. 

Students who are in Sources of Strength enjoy themselves and their community by going out and participating in simple yet fun events. Creating a positive space for students helps them unwind from the daily stressors and prevents them from feeling lonely. Gumbs believes that she can see how joining Sources of Strength has affected members.

“You get to help people and encourage people to join the club. [Sources of Strength] is just for our community. We make sure people are not alone, and we try to be there for people that aren’t supported mentally and physically,” Gumbs said.

Sources of Strength helps members find a reason to attend school and enjoy life. The program also lets students know that they are not alone and deserve all the help they need. Students should not be afraid of joining Sources of Strength and letting others know that they struggle.

“Everybody struggles, every single person, no matter who you are, no matter how amazing they seem, everyone struggles,” Brown said.