Tag: suicide prevention

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.
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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

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.

RCA, SoPrep, Skyview

KCHS and Kenai Alt

SOS Seward High school (4)

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.

Sources of Strength frisbee KPBSD

Sources of Strength suicide prevention efforts in KPBSD

News releaseKPBSD logo 4c no tag SMALL
Suicide Prevention and Awareness

“While suicide is sometimes a difficult topic to discuss, it is also paramount that we as a community address it head on. Programs such as Sources of Strength are critical components of our commitment and dedication to support our students through the myriad of issues they may experience throughout their lives.” –Sean Dusek, superintendent

KPBSD is dedicated to provide suicide awareness and wellness education to students, staff, and the greater Kenai Peninsula community. GCI and The Alaska Foundation released a PSA video on September 22, to highlight the work KPBSD is doing with Sources of Strength, through the GCI Suicide Prevention Grant.

September is national suicide awareness month, and the Alaska suicide rate is twice the national average. Several schools are creating a Wall of Hope. In addition, KPBSD received a variety of grants from the Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) and the Alaska Community Foundation to support suicide prevention programming and training to not only our adults, but also our students. In the spring of 2017, over 75 students and adults from Homer, Kenai, and Seward received training in Sources of Strength (SOS). SOS is a strength-based comprehensive wellness program that focuses on suicide prevention but affects other issues such as substance abuse and violence. In early October, Soldotna High School will join the SOS team, and on October 13, high school students from Seward, Homer, Soldotna, and Kenai will participate in a Sources of Strength Upstream Conference in Kenai.

“At the school level, our school psychologists and school counselors are trained and use suicide risk assessments for students who are in need of support,” said Clayton Holland, director of pupil services. “Their good work together with our staff and school administration offer support to at-risk students and provide resources to students and families.”

Several KPBSD counselors are trainers for evidence-based wellness programs such as Youth Mental Health First Aide and The Fourth R. KPBSD will continue to foster and share resources with mental health organizations to increase coordination and support for our students and community members about suicide prevention and wellness.
Sources of Strength frisbee KPBSD
Links

GCI Press Release: ‘Sources of Strength’ bolsters suicide prevention efforts on Kenai Peninsula

2017 Sources of Strength training