Tapping Into the Power of Connection and Saving Lives During a “Day of Hope”

Media Contact: Gracie Martinez [email protected] | 801-342-3444

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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February 12, 2025 — Dallas, Texas — Hope Squad, a national network of student-led organizations that spans across 45 states and thousands of schools, will celebrate a "Day of Hope" on Thursday, February 13. Day of Hope is an annual action day where adult advisors and student members in grades 4-12 utilize their evidence-based training to discuss suicide prevention and promote mental wellness within their communities by organizing random acts of kindness, mental health fairs, virtual assemblies, and more.

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Research shows that students are more likely to confide in peers rather than adults, and Hope Squad harnesses thatpower of peer-to-peer connection to combat hopelessness and save lives. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth ages 10-18 years old and 1 in 10 high schoolstudents have reported attempting suicide.

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Hope Squad approaches these alarming statistics with a unique student-led model and the positive impacts oftenoverflow outside of the school and into the community. Alumni and former National Council members Devin Duncan and Madilyn Winter are prime examples as they continue to apply what they learned from Hope Squad in everydayinteractions on their college campuses and, recently, joined the Hope Squad sales team to recruit more schools.

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“Hope Squad programming truly empowers students to become courageous leaders, leaving a lasting impact even after the bell rings. The Hope Squad curriculum continues to shape how I approach conversations with my peers. It teaches you to listen, recognize warning signs, and ask, ‘How can I help before things reach a breaking point?’” said Duncan, who is pursuing a double major in public policy and public relations at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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“With Hope Squad, you see students from all walks of life represented and I want every school to have one. Whether you realize it or not, students are coming into contact all the time with warning signs so becoming educated on what to look for is crucial,” shared Winter who is studying psychology at Lipscomb University.

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As a bridge of support, Hope Squad utilizes this all-day, community-wide effort to bring together local businesses, mental health agencies, and non-profits with the goals of destigmatizing mental health issues, empowering individuals to ask for support, and connecting those at-risk with resources. To discover national resources, please click HERE, and to see photos of Hope Squads celebrating the Day of Hope, please click HERE

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ABOUT HOPE SQUAD
Hope Squad is a peer-to-peer suicide prevention program with a purpose of fostering human connection, community, and hope. Thousands of schools across the United States and Canada benefit from Hope Squads, with more than 1,250,000 students positively impacted annually. Over 98% of school administrators agree that the programming promotes a positive school climate for their students. Share the hope and save a life at our website HERE.