Nov 18
29
Sources of Strength #SuicidePrevention
Nine KPBSD schools—Homer Flex School, Kenai Alternative School, Kenai Central High School, River City Academy, Seward High School, Seward Middle School, Skyview Middle School, Soldotna High School, Soldotna Prep School—are developing peer leaders through Sources of Strength (SOS) thanks to funding from the Alaska Community Foundation, GCI suicide prevention grant, and Alaska Children’s’ Trust!
This fall, students and adults from Skyview Middle School, River City Academy, Soldotna Prep, Kenai Alternative High, and Kenai Central High School participated in Sources of Strength training October 29-31, 2018, creating videos (Kenai What are you grateful for? and RCA, SMS, and Soldotna Prep What are you thankful for?), social media and school campaigns.
Sources of Strength is one of KPBSD’s suicide prevention programs positioning students to become peer-leaders of suicide prevention in their schools and community.
Unlike other evidence-based suicide prevention programs, Sources of Strength (SOS) focuses on positive protective factors in student lives, such as trusted adults and mentors, healthy activities, and positive friends. These strengths aid students to develop help-seeking behaviors, coping mechanisms, and resilience that can assist overcoming difficulty and adversity in their lives. Students, with support from their adult leaders, design campaigns to promote wellness in their school.
Helpful Links
- Instagram: kchs.sourcesofstrength
- Instagram: Sewardsos
- Alaska CARELINE: 1-877-266-HELP
- Video: GCI Suicide Prevention Grant featuring KPBSD, https://youtu.be/ptYP3oYJgRA
- Sources of Strength: https://sourcesofstrength.org/
- The Alaska Community Foundation: http://alaskacf.org/
- Alaska Statewide Suicide Prevention Council
- The Fourth R, https://youthrelationships.org/
- Youth Mental Health First Aid
Sources of Strength is a best practice youth suicide prevention project designed to harness the power of peer social networks to change unhealthy norms and culture, ultimately preventing suicide, bullying, and substance abuse.
Seward’s Sources of Strength is a diverse group of students and adults that recognize life has difficulties, and that we will each go through good times and tough times. Their mission is to ensure that during the rough times no one gets so overwhelmed or hopeless that they want to give up. The Seward High November school assembly promoted understanding, fun, and launched their Instagram next social media campaign. Connect with Seward High on Instagram at @sewardsos.
