Waitsburg students and staff participate in SOS training

WAITSBURG—Staff, and students from Waitsburg High School participated in a Sources of Strength (SOS) training this past Wednesday, December 7. The Waitsburg Presbyterian Church hosted the event.

Students received training to help fellow students recognize their full range of resilience through the areas and relationships discussed: family support, positive friends, mentors, healthy activities, personal expressions of generosity, spirituality (that can include the practice of gratefulness), physical health, and mental health.

Sources of Strength is a comprehensive wellness program that focuses on suicide prevention and other issues, including substance abuse and violence. The program is based on a relational connection model, using Peer Leaders mentored by Adult Advisors trained by the program. The teams work within the school district to change peer social norms regarding teen help-seeking and personal strength building. Students are encouraged to discover and develop their strengths and social resources. Trained Peer Leaders use their network of friends to:

Have one-on-one conversations.

Develop messages of hope, help, and strength

Present peer-to-peer presentations.

After receiving the intitial training from SOS, the students and staff will take what they learned back to the schools for implementation. They will continue to meet as a group to build on the program and continue to get buy-in from students, staff, and the community.

Go to Sources of Strength website for more information at https://sourcesofstrength.org.