Students walk to raise mental health, suicide awareness amid pandemic

TONIGHT - SHINING A LIGHT ONMENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES FORTEENS.

ORGANIZERS OF ASOCIALLY DISTANCED 5-K WALKARE POINTING OUT CONCERNINGTRENDS - THEY'RE SEEINGDURING THE PANDEMIC.REPORTER JOSH BAZAN IS IN WESTCHESTER TONIGHT - EXPLAININGWHAT HAS THEM CONCERNED ANDWHY THEY WANT MORE PEOPLE TOPAY ATTENTION.A SIMPLE WALK AROUND THE LAKESUNDAY AT THE VOICE OF AMERICAMETROPARK IN WEST CHESTERHOPES TO BRING ATTENTION TO ACOMPLICATED SITUATION.AudreyGlaser/Junior at Mason HighSchool, Grant Us Hope intern12:09:49"Especially right nowwith COVID.

Teens arestruggling and it's been areally difficult time for ourmental health."THE NONPROFITGRANT US HOPE SAYS THINGS LIKEANXIETY, DEPRESSION ANDLONELINESS ARE GETTING WORSEDURING THE PANDEMIC,ESPECIALLY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.AND THAT HAS THE GROUP WORRIEDABOUT TEEN SUICIDE AND LOOKINGTO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.SuzannaDavis/Director of Programmingat Grant Us Hope13:00:05"Wewant to transform theconversation around mentalhealth and we want to saveyoung lives together."TaylorJackey/Sophomore at Mason HighSchool, Grant Us Hope Intern12:12:09"It's so important tokeep raising awareness andwhen you have events like thisand people see theparticipation and stuff.They're probably more likelyto become more aware of what'sgoing on or to try andparticipate themselves."GRANTUS HOPE HELPS SUPPORT THESTUDENT-LED HOPE SQUADS THATWORK TO PREVENT TEEN SUICIDEIN SCHOOLS ACROSS THE TRI-STATE.

MANY OF THOSE STUDENTSJOINED IN SEVERAL WALK FORHOPE EVENTS ACROSS THEREGIONOPING THIS WILL BEANOTHER STEP CLOSER TO ENDINGTHE STIGMA AROUND MENTALHEALTH.Audrey Glaser/Junior atMason High School, Grant UsHope intern12:10:35"We're notcounselors but we're here torefer and we're here tolisten.

We call ourselves theeyes and ears of the school.Being someone who is going tobe there for them no matterwhat."Suzanna Davis/Directorof Programming at Grant Us Hope13:00:40"We provide trainingpeople to really help begin tolook at how do we help breakthe stigma, transform theconversation and support ouryoung people and their mentalwellness."GRANT US HOPE SAYSNEW DATA SHOWS THE NUMBER OFTEEN WHO HAVE RECENTLYCONSIDERED SUICIDE IS GOINGUPHICH THEY SAY MAKES EVENTSLIKE THIS SO IMPORTANT.TaylorJackey/Sophomore at Mason HighSchool, Grant Us Hope Intern12:12:20"And the participationis really what we need just tobreak down that stigma aroundmental health.

We just needeverybody to help."JOSH STANDUP"There's another Walk For Hopehappening at 9:45 tomorrowmorning at Turpin High School.Grant Us Hope is also holdinga virtual ceremony nextThursday to recognize studentsand community leaders who arestepping up and saving lives.JB WCPO 9 News."