Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention
Authors: Imani Garrick, Alyssa Souders, Sydney Parker, Jake McKnight, and Isabel Camillo
Faculty Supervisors: Julianne Temple, MSN, APRN, CPNP, RN and Lydia Watkins, DNP, MSN, BSN
Community Partner: Needwood Middle School
Abstract:
Each member of our group offered examples and stories relevant to the topics being discussed, including bullying/cyberbullying, depression, suicide/self-harm, and finding help. The students were asked questions to increase active participation and the group answered questions from the students.
In the “Unity Tree” activity, students were asked to actively participate by receiving leaf cut outs and writing ways in which they could contribute ending bullying. If the students were having difficulty producing something the presenters offered alternate options to write on the leaves, e.g. activities that made them happy, attributes they like about themselves, qualities they admired in their peers, family, or role models. The leaves were then glued to a cut out of a tree with bare branches, and the unity tree was left at the school to be hung in a well trafficked hallway for other students to see.
