Rock Springs students ask district support for Jay Foundation suicide‑prevention campaign, fundraising for 'boots'

Rock Springs — A student delegation urged the Sweetwater County School District No. 1 Board of Trustees on Sept. 8 to support the Jay Foundation, a student‑led suicide‑prevention effort that uses peer check‑ins and a fundraising campaign to buy commemorative boots for seniors. Students described the initiative and asked the district for three kinds of help: ongoing support from district staff and trustees, financial assistance to sustain events and the boots campaign, and promotion of Jay Foundation activities across the schools and community. “It is okay to not be okay, and no one should have to walk through hard times alone,” student presenter Addison Sellers told the board. The students said the campaign’s immediate target is to provide one pair of boots — at about $200 per student — for every senior in the Rock Springs High School Class of 2026. The students set a districtwide fundraising goal of $70,000 by January and reported they have raised $8,759 so far. They described monthly teen outreach events and a strategy to train juniors to carry the program forward. Students and parents in the audience told trustees the program fills gaps in peer support. Retired teacher Marlene Kramer and others praised the initiative and urged the board to back school‑based, student‑led prevention. Board Chair Wright thanked the students and asked that the group return with progress updates and payment/donation details; she also noted the board would help publicize the events. Trustees did not commit specific district funding at the Sept. 8 meeting but invited the students to provide follow‑up information and to return for future updates. Several speakers in public comment also named other local programs (Sources of Strength, Hope Squad) they would like to see scaled or more widely publicized, and some trustees signaled willingness to help connect students with community partners.