In the wake of the devastating loss of two Pearland High School students this spring to what is believed to have been suicides, Pearland Independent School District officials are continuing to emphasize early detection of students at risk in an effort to prevent of any future tragedies.

"We've really appreciated the community groups who reach out to us in times of crisis," said PISD Superintendent John Kelly. "We've invited community youth groups, like church youth ministers and youth groups, to meet with their members who are students of ours."

The district is raising awareness about suicide prevention through its #iWillAsk event set for May 11 from 6-8 p.m. at the Turner College & Career High School. The event is styled as a student-driven event to bring attention to teen suicide prevention.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the second leading cause of death for those age 10-34.

"The #iWillAsk event includes students who can speak, in an uplifting way, about how they were able to handle their problems, who they turned to for help," said Dr. Natalie Fikac, PISD's Coordinator of Guidance Services. "We selected May for two reasons: one, May is Mental Health Awareness Month and, two, the [advanced placement] tests are given at the end of May, and that can be stressful."

Students and mental health speakers will address the audience on healthy coping mechanism, and informational booths will be set up to disseminate information.

#iWillAsk is one of a few ways PISD has tackled mental health issues in schools. The district created a suicide prevention task force comprising local community health professional, religious leaders, students, teachers, administrators and counselors in May of 2016 to bring events and activities to PISD students, according to the district.

PISD also has two student outreach programs to assist students.

The RISE Mentoring program, where area adults help students overcome personal and academic obstacles, and the Safe School Ambassador program are part of the district's efforts to assist faculty members, students and their families in recognizing students who need assistance. Students may contact their guidance counselor for a RISE mentor, or one may be offered to them, district officials said.

"It's our policy to make sure our students are safe and get the information they need to stay safe," Fikac said. "We also encourage students and their parents to reach out to our guidance counselors, who receive additional training every two months in helping our students deal with their concerns."

 

Safe School Ambassadors, a national program under the auspices of Community-Matters.org, is student led-initiative which recruits and trains students to identify possible problems on their own campuses, according to Kim Hocott, executive director of communications for Pearland ISD.

"Faculty members who volunteer for the program nominate student leaders and socially active students, as well as students who volunteer for the program, who are trained as Safe School Ambassadors," Hocott explained. "The students are paired with a faculty member/mentor and given the tools to recognize students who may need help."

For more information on the national program, go to community-matters.org/programs-and-service/safe-school-ambassadors.

The #iWillAsk event comes just weeks on the heels of the March 19 suicide of Pearland High School senior Hannah Hollis, 17, who would have attended Texas A&M University in the fall. About three weeks later, another student, whom district officials confirmed but declined to identify, also committed suicide.

Pearland ISD provides elementary students with a total of 19 guidance counselors, as well as 27 guidance counselors for junior high and high school students.

 

PISD guidance counselors can direct district students and their families to the district's teen suicide awareness programs, officials said.