As the 2014-2015 school year started, so did a tragedy. On September 25th, my base school (South Lakes High School) lost our precious Emma Clark. Though Emma was a bright, beautiful girl……like every teenager, she faced some issues.

What kind of issues you may ask? Depression…. Depression is a real illness and it can lead people to harm themselves. For most teenagers, their life is revolved around friends, family and school; three things that can all be very stressful.

First starting with school, a students main goal is to graduate and succeed in life; of course there are many bumps along the way. Are our school systems doing whatever they can to help students treat mental illness? The answer is yes, but many people aren’t taking a step forward to get help in all these programs provided. Most students don’t want others knowing what they’re going through but silence is always the loudest cry for help. Here at Mountain View (since it’s a smaller school) it is easier to find resources and a trusted adult. County wide, there are many programs that can be very beneficial. Please click the link below.

Schools have been doing the best they can to let students know there is always someone who can help, someone that can be trusted. As a community, we need to work together to help those at risk. We need to ACT (acknowledge, care, tell), there is also a CrisisLink Regional Hotline: 703-940-0888.

 http://www.fcps.edu/dss/ips/dasp/suiciderisk.shtml

http://patch.com/virginia/reston/services-wednesday-south-lakes-high-student-0