Why Peer Nominations Matter: Building a Representative Hope Squad

Length of reading time: 5 minutes

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Every school has students who make a difference in the lives of their peers.

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Some are visible leaders, known by students and teachers alike. Others are quieter—deeply trusted within their friend groups—but perhaps less visible to the adults around them. Some seem to know everyone, while others have a stronger connection to a particular group within the school community.

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How do you find these students?

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You ask their peers.

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This idea is central to the Hope Squad nomination process, which is intentionally designed to identify students who are trusted and connected across their school community.  

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Rather than relying only on adults, Hope Squad provides an evidence-based solution in which students are central to the process and identify the peers they believe can make a difference. Ultimately, they build a program that fits their school experience.

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When nominations are opened to the entire student body, schools gain insight into connections and relationships that adults may not always see.  

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And while student nominations provide valuable insight, intentional review by Advisors and other trusted adults closes the gap and ensures the final Squad accurately represents the needs and diversity of the school community.

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The result isn’t an exclusive group—it’s a broader safety net that ensures every student has a path to connection and support.

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Why peer nomination matters

Students experience their school differently than the adults who serve them.

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Teachers may know the student who raises their hand in every class. Administrators might recognize the student who plays a prominent role in school activities. But students have a much broader view of the social landscape surrounding them.

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They know who is welcoming in the cafeteria, who checks in on a friend, and who makes others feel included. They recognize who can be trusted with something personal.

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Research supports using a social network approach, such as asking students to nominate friends or peers, when selecting peer leaders. This approach can help ensure that peer support is representative of the student population and maximize the reach of program messaging to more students.¹

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Research has also shown that students are more likely to confide in a friend when they are struggling than they are to tell an adult.² By understanding this, Hope Squad nominations build a network of students who are connected to their peers and equipped to recognize when someone may need support—and, even more importantly, where to turn for help.

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Peer nominations are intentional-not an election

It’s important to understand what peer nomination is—and what it is not.

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Students are asked to nominate, not elect, their peers.

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The goal isn’t to determine who is the most popular, most well-known, or who would win a schoolwide vote.  

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Instead, students are asked to name peers who demonstrate the characteristics that would make them an effective Hope Squad Member, such as:

• Kindness
• Empathy
• Trustworthiness
• Approachability
• A willingness to help others
• Connections with a variety of peers

A student doesn’t have to be the loudest voice in the room to be an effective peer leader. They don’t have to hold formal leadership positions or even be known throughout the entire school to be nominated.  

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In fact, some of the most valuable Hope Squad Members might be students whom adults might not have identified on their own.  

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That’s why peer nominations matter.  

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Representation is the goal

A strong Hope Squad should reflect the school it serves.

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That means representation across:

• Grade levels
• Friend groups
• Social circles
• Activities and interests
• Students who are highly visible and less visible  

Representation isn't about checking boxes or creating a Squad that looks identical to the school's enrollment demographics—it's more than that. It’s about ensuring the Squad has meaningful connections across the different communities, relationships, and social networks within the school.

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Ensuring representation across grades and friend groups is also why it is important to revisit the nomination process each year. As some students graduate and others join the school, the makeup of the school community changes. Conducting the nomination process each year provides an opportunity to identify new potential Members that reflect the relationships and dynamics of the school year after year.  

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The goal is to design a Hope Squad that works for the school community even as it changes.

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Who makes the final decision?  

Peer nominations are an essential part of the process, but they aren’t the only part.

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Intentional adult review is essential: Advisors, school mental health teams, and the parent/guardians at home each play a role.

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Once nominations are collected, Hope Squad Advisors and other school leaders are trained to look at the nominations as a whole and consider whether the proposed Squad appropriately represents the broader student population.

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Schools should review the nominations and consider:

• Are different grades represented?
• Are different student groups and social circles included?
• Are we reaching students who may otherwise be overlooked?
• Does the Squad reflect the makeup of our school?
• Is the size of our Squad appropriate for our population and resources?
• Can these students realistically participate and engage in the program?

This review is not about determining whether a student is “good enough” to be part of Hope Squad.

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It’s about building the strongest possible safety net to catch all students.

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School mental health teams and student guardians are active participants in this process, providing their perspectives on student readiness and safety. Furthermore, parental permission is required for every student before they can become a Hope Squad Member, ensuring they are supported in their role.  

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Building a Hope Squad that reflects your school

Every Hope Squad will look different because every school is a unique community.

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And that's why the nomination process is so important.

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By giving students across the school a voice in identifying trusted peers—and pairing that perspective with intentional adult review—schools can build a Squad that reflects the students it serves, reaches into different parts of the school community, and creates more opportunities for meaningful peer-to-peer connection.

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When the goal is to reach all students, representation matters.  

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A connected, representative Hope Squad helps make sure every student has a path to connection, support, and hope.

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¹ Pickering, T.A., Wyman, P.A. & Valente, T.W. A comparison of peer change agent selection methods: Evidence from a high-school based suicide preventive intervention. BMC Public Health22, 985 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13372-w

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² Pisani, A.R., Schmeelk-Cone, K., Gunzler, D. et al. Associations Between Suicidal High School Students’ Help-Seeking and Their Attitudes and Perceptions of Social Environment. J Youth Adolescence 41, 1312–1324 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-012-9766-7

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