BY NICHOLAS BRANDT
To further offer support for the student body of WCHS, Lifeline cards issued by the counselors were distributed in every English class to all students on April 3. The cards were given out in an effort to reach out and provide help to students who suffer from anxiety, mental health issues, or other personal problems. The introduction to Lifeline cards on campus is intended to motivate students to seek help from the Counseling Department should they need it.
“Each counselor has a version of the card with their personal contact information and generic Lifeline cards… Students show this card to any trusted adult if they need help,” counselor Kristin Kajikawa said in an email to WCHS staff on April 3.
The Lifeline card comes with a list of resources for students, such as a suicide prevention hotline, The Trevor Hotline (for gay and questioning students), and a grief recovery hotline. The card also has Twitter and Facebook tags under @wchscounseling. Other outreach mediums shared through recent days include the student climate survey shared through SchoolLoop as well as programs such as iReport and Titan HST.
Every student received a Lifeline card in their English class and can show it at any time to an adult on campus to seek help. Students are encouraged to use the Lifeline cards as a formal way to express a request for help without feeling pressured.
