Emery High Hope Squad encourages kindness during October event

Emery High School’s Hope Squad held an event on Monday, Oct. 19, where students enjoyed games, music and other activities while learning about the importance of showing kindness to others.

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The event took place in the school’s auxiliary gym, where Hope Squad and Secondary Squad members, along with their guests, enjoyed games, music, food and a presentation about kindness. With new leadership this year, Emery High’s Hope Squad organized the event around October’s theme of kindness.

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Emery High’s Hope Squad is under new leadership this year, and Ashley Jeffs explained that the group chose kindness as its October theme, highlighting Dolly Parton’s efforts to include others and bring people together. The theme, “Do It Like Dolly,” encourages students to be kind, support one another and take time for those around them.

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With help from local community members, the Hope Squad invited Tom Bunnell, a mental health therapist from Heber City with Middle Path Counseling, to speak to students about kindness and hope. Bunnell talked about how simple acts of kindness can help someone who may be struggling and encouraged students to take time to understand what others are going through rather than judging them.

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Bunnell gave students a challenge to think of someone who might need a little extra kindness and make an effort to understand what they are going through. He explained that kindness doesn’t have to be a grand gesture and that even small efforts can make a difference.

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After the presentation, students spent time playing games, making friendship bracelets and taking pictures at a photo booth where they could print their photos. Faculty members and students performed live music, and pizza, cotton candy and raffle prizes were also available.

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The event gave Hope Squad members time to visit with classmates while learning about the importance of kindness. Jeffs said the group will continue teaching students how to recognize signs that someone may be struggling, understand suicide risk factors and know where to go for help.

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The Hope Squad hopes students will take what they learned from the event and make an effort to show more kindness and look out for their classmates.

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Originally published at https://etvnews.com/articles/youth-education/emery-high-hope-squad-encourages-kindness-during-october-event/