Help=Hope Benefit Concert, mark your calendars!

Click here to download:

linneasproj-1.pdf (110 KB)

(download)

Click here to download:

linneasproj-1.pdf (110 KB)

Linnea Olson who is an awesome youth council member chose to incorporate her senior project with youth suicide prevention by putting together a benefit concert!  What a great idea! Here are the details:

HELP=HOPE: A Night of Fine Arts for Suicide Prevention
When:  Saturday, May 8 @ 5 p.m.
Where:  Trinity Parish Episcopal Church in downtown Seattle (corner of 8^th & James)

The event is FREE but donations will be accepted and greatly appreciated.  There will also be a bake sale after the concert to help raise money as well.

I asked Linnea a couple of questions about her event and what it was like putting it together and promoting suicide prevention.

Who can we expect to see?
There are a variety of student performers from 7th grade to college who are singing, playing instruments, and doing spoken word. RA Scion (of Common Market and Victor Shade) is performing which is really great. There are some Ballard High School students, girls from Northwest Girlchoir and some other students doing other stuff from different high schools from around Seattle.  Most people want to perform to help this cause and want to express feelings about it.

What are you hoping for in terms of an outcome?
As an outcome, I'm honestly hoping for as many people from students to adults to attend. It’s a benefit concert so we’re hoping to raise as much money as we can.  However, it's not all about the money, it's about raising more awareness for this issue as well so the more kids and students, the better.  It’s a great opportunity for everyone to be entertained and have a good time all for a good cause! 

How did you come up with this?
I've always wanted to do an event like this. I've always imagined organizing and putting something together like this (bring out my inner bossiness, haha). I thought my senior project would be the perfect opportunity, and would really help me in the long run. The main thing is that it really combines my two passions. I LOVE music and of course, I'm very passionate about suicide prevention. Those are definitely two things I want to continue in my future, so I probably will do something like this again later on.

Why should someone to your event?
People should come to this event because it is a really big issue in Washington and this would definitely bring more awareness to that situation, but also be something people would enjoy coming to. It's not a bunch of people talking about suicide, it's people performing, getting the message out there.

There are ALL different kinds of performances, all different types of music from choirs to solos to hip-hop to spoken word. There's something for everyone to enjoy.

Do you have difficulty promoting it?  Is the subject/issue of suicide a downer?  
It's a bit difficult to promote, because if it doesn't catch people's attention, then they're probably not very likely to go. I don't know exactly what will catch people's attention, which can be troublesome.  I have a pretty good feeling about it so far, but I still want to get more people to know and really consider going to this event. I want it to be something that spreads and people talk about.

This subject can be a downer. However, this event will not be a "downer". I'm hoping for it to be hopeful and uplifting.

Linnea has been working hard with planning, rehearsals, and getting volunteers on top of schoolwork and extracurricular activities.  She’s got a lot going on but it will all come together and be worth it!  Outstanding job Linnea! We hope to see you there!  Mark your calendar!

Introducing Two YSPP Youth Council All-Stars!

It’s always impressive, pleasing, and encouraging to know there are young leaders who are willing to step up and make themselves stand apart by helping out with a cause within their community. In a busy world of school, work, extracurricular activities, sports, friends, and other countless things to do, there are passionate people who will find the time.

I had the privilege of meeting two motivated high school girls who are members of the YSPP youth council and they are also involved with youth suicide prevention at their schools.  I can’t recall learning about youth suicide prevention when I was in junior high or high school so I was very intrigued to hear about what they have done in their schools.  Both girls follow a curriculum about youth suicide prevention and teach their classmates by doing presentations and activities.  I’m very impressed with their efforts and the other students who are involved with them and hope that more of their peers will become involved and continue this effort.

(download)

Click here to download:

Introducing_Two_Youth_All-Star.zip (200 KB)

Trinh (first picture) is a junior at Roosevelt High School.  Her future goal is to be a successful company president.  She is involved in her school band and marching band.  She became involved with YSPP to fulfill community service hours to graduate and felt that YSPP would be an interesting way to fulfill those requirements.  Her uncle was suicidal for a long time and that also influenced her a little bit.  Through YSPP, she claims that her eyes have really opened to the pain of others.  She feels that she has a deeper understanding of other people.  She's learned a lot of new things about suicide and gained new friends and good memories.

Linnea (second picture) is a senior at Ballard High School.  She is also in her school’s band and marching band and plays the flute and piccolo and she also sings in a number of choirs including Northwest Girl choir, Ballard’s Concert choir, Ballard’s Women’s Chamber choir, and her church choir.  She hopes to take her musical talent to Pacific Lutheran University after graduating.  She became involved with YSPP because a girl at her school committed suicide in 2005.  Although she didn’t personally know her, she had an urge to become involved in suicide prevention.  She began by helping to start her school’s Student Lives Always Matter (SLAM) club in 2006. 

After meeting with these two hard-working students, I began asking some of my friends if they learned about youth suicide prevention at their schools and a majority of them said "no."  

I asked Trinh and Linnea about how they feel about the difference they’re making. Trinh doesn't feel like she’s made a very big difference but feels that as the Youth Council takes off, they’ll make and feel much more of a difference.

Linnea says she gets a lot from doing what she does.  Sometimes, she feels like nothing she’s doing is ever going to make a difference but there have been numerous occasions at Ballard where people talk about SLAM and ask questions and comment that SLAM has really helped.  When she hears that kind of feedback, she knows she’s making a difference and it feels really good.  After each SLAM presentation in health classes, they give out anonymous feedback forms and they usually get answers like “this really helped me,” this information was really great and I know I can use it in the future,” “thanks for all you’re doing, it really helps” or even “I’ve been suicidal or I’ve had suicidal thoughts and now I know there’s always help.”  Positive feedback makes Linnea and her club members feel great because they know they’re helping.

Both girls agree that something that may seem small now really pays off in the long run.  Great job girls!

I can’t stress enough how I’m impressed with the youth who are involved with YSPP and I hope that all of you feel the same as well. Hats off to them!

To end this post, I will leave two questions for you to ponder. 

Do you think it is appropriate to teach suicide prevention to middle and high school students?  
Do you think that suicide can be prevented? 

Please feel free to leave comment or e-mail us at yspprealtalk@gmail.com

Did you know? Because I didn't...

Each week in Washington State an average of 2 young people complete suicide; another 16 make suicide attempts that result in hospitalization.

My name is Melissa and I’m a communication major (focus on public relations) at the University of Washington Seattle campus.   I saw a post on our department website for a new media internship position.  I clicked and saw it was for the Youth Suicide Prevention Program (YSPP).  I was attracted to the position because I really wanted to use the skills and knowledge I’ve gained through the classes I’ve taken related to social media and see how I could help this organization.  I thought it was going to be simple: start a Twitter, tweak their Facebook, and do a blog and keep each of them updated.  I met with Sue Eastgard, who is the director of YSPP, and learned that it isn’t as simple as I thought.  She was very kind and intrigued about the ideas we could start to help launch YSPP into the social media world. 

Suicide is a very sensitive topic, it’s a taboo topic but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be talked about.  YSPP encourages using these steps to act on this issue:

-Watch for signs => Show you care=> Ask the Question, "Are you thinking about suicide?" =>  Get Help 1-800-273-TALK 

There are many factors that need to be taken into consideration and there’s a great amount I need to learn about the issue.

"The YSPP mission is to reduce the incidence of suicide in our state.  Working toward that goal we build Public Awareness, offer Training, and support Communities in Action."

In my eyes, we have to remind suicidal youth that there are bigger things in life to look forward to.  We have to remind them that although this may be a rough time, things will work out in the end.  We just have to help them stay strong and really try to help them think differently.  Throughout this blog, I will keep readers informed and also list inspiring quotes and questions of the day that may help a young person remember good, happy times.  I'll also list simple things to try out and hope that in the process people may find something new to do.  All of this is to keep in mind that there is a brighter side to anything :)

"Every day is a gift, that's why we call it the present" 

Sincerely,

Melissa