WSD benefits from Sources of Strength

WAITSBURG-Rosy Nechodom, the school counselor for the Waitsburg School District, is in her second year as a mentor in the Sources of Strength program. The Walla Walla Health Department provides the district with a grant to fund the program.

Sources of Strength is a best-practice youth mental health program using peer social networks to prevent suicide, violence, bullying, and substance abuse. It prevents adverse outcomes by increasing well-being, help-seeking, resiliency, healthy coping, and belonging. The peer leaders' mission is to recognize that their voices have great power and can use them to break the silence when someone is struggling and to connect them to the help they need and deserve.

Waitsburg S.O.S students Abbi Paolino, Kaydance Tiner, Alyssa Byers, Quinn Chavez, Karma Mitchell, Addison Crenshaw, and Ava Childers are concentrating on eight areas of strength. The program identifies these areas that students and adults can draw on in challenging times. The eight areas are family support, positive friends, mentors, healthy activities, generosity, spirituality, physical health, and mental health.

The S.O.S. peer leaders started monthly awareness activities in November, beginning with gratitude. Sources of Strength emphasizes practicing thankfulness as an act of spirituality. The S.O.S. program leaders gave thankfulness postcards to high school students so that they could write personal notes to a staff member or friend.

In December, the focus was on Generosity, and hosted a toy drive. S.O.S. leaders asked elementary, middle, and high school students to bring toys they no longer use but were in good condition to donate. The group gave some of the donated toys to children in the community so they would have Christmas gifts. Other toys were given to the school's PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Support) Store as incentives for students to demonstrate PRIDE.

January was Physical Health Month, and students particpated in a Step Challenge. There were five teams, with 56 participants tracking their steps each week. The staff's team took an early lead and held on to it all month. The first-year students finished second, sophomores third, seniors fourth, and juniors fifth.

February was Friendship Month, and on Valentine's Day, high school students were given a "goodie bag" with notes of encouragement, reminders of what makes good friends, and candy (one Hersey's Hug for them and one to give to a friend).

The theme in March was Mentorship. Students completed a eight-question survey on peers and adults they can talk to. Program leaders hope to host a special awards assembly to honor some individuals identified in the survey for being a Source of Strength for others.

On March 15, the seven S.O.S. students attened the "Be the Change" - Youth Summit 2024, in Pasco, Wash. Nechodom, adult leader Jaimee Knudson, and the students joined over 350 students and adult mentors from all over Washington. This trip was the first time students from the Waitsburg School District attended a S.O.S. youth summit.

During the summit, the group listened to the keynote speaker, Jake White, from Vive 18 (a youth drug prevention program), who introduced strategies to handle peer pressure and hold substance-free parties; students attended breakout sessions throughout the day.

"The S.O.S. students really enjoyed meeting groups from other schools," said Nechodom.