East Junior High students lead mental health efforts through Hope Squad

For two years, Hope Squad has served as a vital pillar of mental health support at East Junior High School, empowering students to protect each other through a peer-to-peer suicide prevention program.

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Hope Squad was founded by a former high school principal in Utah following a student tragedy. After being notified by police of a student's suicide, Dr. Greg Hudnall vowed to do everything in his power to prevent such a loss from happening again.

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Gregory Sasser, Hope Squad Advisor at East, describes the group as a dedicated class focused on mental health awareness.

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"I hope we help to keep folks happy and safe," Sasser said. "We support people in times of need, and more than anything, we establish a foundation so if people are going through things, they can come talk to us and we can help them."

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Students say the program has given them a sense of purpose.

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“I joined Hope Squad because I wanted to be there for people that needed help with their mental health,” Emiliano Garza said.

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“The most rewarding part for me about being a Hope Squad member is getting to find struggling peers and help them with their mental health” Wyatt Shackelford said.

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Originally published at https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/ktvb-student-news-east-junior-222944929.html