Hoosac Valley Students Raise Money for Suicide Prevention
ADAMS, Mass. — As part of the school's Halloween festivities, several students at Hoosac Valley High School helped to raise $557 for the Berkshire Coalition for Suicide Prevention.
The students collected donations for the cause during the school's Haunted Halls event last Thursday. In addition, the students helped prep the entire building for the event.
"They organized, all the kids, we created all the signs around the school, and they were really excited to just do those simple things," said Ashley Tucker, a Spanish teacher at the high school who helped the students organize the event. "Then that night, they were all there, ready to have different roles while they were here."
Linda Wooten of the Brien Center, also a member of the coalition's board of trustees, visited the students on Friday to accept the donation. She said everyone at the coalition is thankful for the students' efforts.
"I was very impressed that you guys chose the suicide coalition to work for," she said. "It's marvelous, we're thrilled ... We will use this money towards other youth activities and other youth events. It will go to a good place."
The students, Tucker said, were inspired by Kevin Hines, who spoke recently in Dalton, and the work of the Berkshire Coalition for Suicide Prevention and wanted to help raise money for the cause.
"We came across articles for Dalton and the Purgatory Road and all of the things they do. And they were super inspired by that," Tucker said. "They wanted to do something in their own school, and they wanted to get everyone involved."
One of the student's involved in the project, Taylor Reynolds, said she enjoyed raising money for the project and making decorations.
"We realized it was bullying prevention month, so we wanted [the money] to go towards suicide prevention," she said. "Every room, it was a different kind of scenery, like a different kind of theme in each room."
The students are part of a program called the Learning Lab, an alternative learning program offered by the school. Tucker who works with this group of students on various projects.
"We do service-learning projects, we read books, we read articles -- all [English language arts] related," she said. "This was a really great example for them and something they've never done."
Erica Girgenti, the school's family and community engagement coordinator, said the same group of students helped with the school's open house earlier this year. She thanked both students and teachers involved in putting the Halloween event together, noting it was very successful.
"Families and students left laughing, feeding their interest in frightful events. I can't thank the educators who assisted with supporting these students enough," she said.
Tucker said the group hopes to do something holiday themed for its next project. She also said they want to involve the elementary school students as well.
"After the project, we talked to a lot of different faculty members and people in the community, and what was something lacking or something we can do better next time. A lot of people said they wanted another event, but more smaller-children related."
More information on Berkshire Coalition for Suicide Prevention can be found here. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. To contact the Crisis Text Line, text HELLO to 741741.
Tags: donations, HVHS,
