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What is The Hope Squad? The Hope Squad is a group of students that are supposed to be a friend to everyone, and to help other students that are struggling. Here in Utah, we pride ourselves with creating the idea of Hope Squad in 1998. While Hope Squad was originally thought up of in our lovely home state, there is still lots that is unknown by the general student body about the Hope Squad. Hopefully by the end of this article, the unknowns will become knowns.
As we interviewed the general student body, we came to find that many students didn’t even know what exactly the Hope Squad was. The Hope Squad is a group of students with the ability to help and be a friend to everyone. Mrs. Edenfield, 7th Grade English Teacher said, “Their purpose is to provide a resource to students who are struggling.” Brenna Carlton, former Hope Squad member, told us their purpose is to prevent suicide and bullying, and to keep an eye out on the school.
Another question the students had is how the students are chosen, and what plays a part in them being chosen. Mrs. Shepherd, dean of students, told us they are voted by fellow students on a survey in their english class, the list of the most popular votes go to counselors and teachers who then chose the students. Mrs. Droz, 8th Grade Counselor and the authority behind the Hope Squad, told us they chose around 30 students each year. She said, “We take approximately 5 seventh graders, 10 eighth graders, and 15 ninth graders each year.” The only thing that really plays a part in them being chosen is if they can help and be a friend to everyone.
The Hope Squad started with high school principal Greg Hudall when he was used to identify a young teen after he had committed suicide. That was in 1998 here in Provo Utah, and now there are hope squads all over Utah, and even outside the state. Mrs. Droz said, “Many schools throughout Utah have Hope Squads. All of the secondary schools in Nebo District have them… it goes beyond Utah now.”
Of all of the students we interviewed, every single one said that they enjoyed being on the Hope Squad. However, it wasn’t all just ‘being a friend to everyone’. Mrs. Droz told us they go through a full day training meeting, and have a weekly training/planning meeting. Some of the training procedures they use include a suicide prevention method called QPR(Question, Persuade, Refer). ¨The QPR mission is to reduce suicidal behaviors and save lives by providing innovative, practical and proven suicide prevention training.¨(http://qprinstitute.com) It's A program using the 3 steps Question, Persuade, Refer, to prevent suicide.” Mrs. Droz said, ¨...is a suicide prevention program which trains both youth and adults to recognize the warning signs of suicide...¨ QPR has recently partnered up with the Hope Squad Organization to help decrease suicide rates across the country.
Congratulations to this years hope squad, Brenna Carlton, McKay Dalley, Lydia Felix, Jacob Follette, Sara Watabe, Alyssa Badger, Kennedy Bird, Julie Brown, Caitlyn Buhler, Max Davis, Will Daybell, Ammon Elzinga, Travis Hartman, Ahna Hullinger, Jake Jackson, Carter Johnston, Michael Oman, Gracie Sentx, Tlaloc Tenorio, Nicholas Thorpe, Brayden Zubia, Abby Fales, Victoria Hunt, Averi Smith, Jenny Wallentine, Jane Wilson, Kayle Jackson, Zach Mitchell, Chandler Kiser, Arianie Perez-Diaz, Jesus Hernandez Garcia, Paige Ballard, Owen Beach, Allie Harris, Halle Platt, Ryan Glazier, Benson Bird, Cristobal Hernandez, Stockton Nelson, Braxton Gross, Monte Taylor, Brady Distefino, Evan Adams, Sage Bowers, Abby Carlton, Jenessa Crystal, Katie Jackson, Rosy Stoddard, Hannah Mason, Nayara Snyder, Mariana Garcia, Dominick Solorzano, Kinzie Lewis, and Brianna Nelson.