Submitted by Kara Harrison, counselor, Dawson-Bryant High School

COAL GROVE — Students in Dawson-Bryant High School Sources of Strength group hosted a “You Matter” night for the high school football game on Sept. 8.

Sources of Strength is group of peer leaders spreading hope help, and strength in our school and community. When times get tough, we all rely on our strengths such as family support, positive friends, mentors, healthy activities, generosity, spirituality, physical health and mental health to get through.

With the help of their adult allies and their cheerleader, Meagan Joseph, from Impact Prevention, students in this group are encouraged to promote positivity through campaigns throughout the year.

This campaign was a way for students to share what the group is about and also spread the word about suicide prevention during September which is suicide prevention month. Jonas Otta, a junior at Dawson-Bryant participated in the event by playing the National Anthem on his guitar for the crowd that evening and the student section at the game even wore purple and teal in support of suicide prevention.

As students would talk to fans entering the game, they would hand out stickers and wristbands, as well as ask people what their source of strength is. Fans wrote their source of strength on paper, and they are being displayed at the school for students and staff to see.

This group feels it is very important for everyone to find a source of strength in times when we are struggling. We all need to feel we have something or someone that can help get us through those tough times. These students have also been trained on resources and what to do in a situation where they realize that a classmate is struggling. They know who to report to, who to talk to and what to say.

As the group continues to push forward in their endeavor to help others and spread words of hope this group will be doing more throughout the community and their school over the next few months. Ask yourself, what is your source of strength?

If you would like more information on this organization, please visit sourcesofstrength.org.