Cabot High School's Hope Squad hosts walk for mental health awareness

Cabot High School's Hope Squad is inviting the community to lace up their sneakers and join a walk to raise awareness for mental health and suicide prevention.

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Coinciding with Mental Health Awareness Month, the walk scheduled for this Saturday coincides with Mental Health Awareness Month.

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It aims to unite the community in support of those struggling with mental health issues.

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The Hope Squad, recognized as a student organization by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in 2019, has been instrumental in fostering peer support and breaking down social stigmas. "We were the first high school to be recognized as a student organization," said a representative from the Hope Squad. "Over the last couple of years, our school district brought in something called Hope Squad, which kind of changed a little bit of the structure of the group, but we still are maintaining the same goal in efforts going forward."

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Students involved in the Hope Squad participate in various activities, including awareness tables, panel discussions, and outreach programs at local middle schools.

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"Getting to go out to places and talk to these students really helps to break social stigmas that we have," said Ryan, a junior member of the squad.

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"We want to break those stigmas so students who are scared to speak to counselors have those opportunities."

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The walk is open to everyone, not just students. "We're just really trying to push it out there, just trying to get everyone in our community and even sometimes out of our community, to come," said another student.

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"Just trying to show that we're united as a community and even potentially as a state, just to support our peers and other people."

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The event will kick off with registration at 11 a.m., followed by opening remarks at noon. The walk will begin at 1 p.m., starting at the Panther Wall near the arena and looping around Junior High North and Freshman Academy.

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Speaker of the House Brian Evans will be present to show his support for the initiative.

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The Hope Squad's mission is to spread peer support across the state, as teens often prefer talking to their peers rather than adults.

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"By having peers talking to peers, and they're not just reaching out to kids that are at risk, they're teaching their peers how to identify those risks," said a Hope Squad member. "We walk for hope."

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Originally published at https://katv.com/community/little-rock-arc/cabot-high-schools-hope-squad-hosts-walk-for-mental-health-awareness-katv-community-news-share-educate-uplift-guide-aware-impact-wellness