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Murray schools expand Sources of Strength peer‑leadership program ahead of districtwide training
Summary
Board heard progress report on Sources of Strength peer‑leadership work at Murray High, Hillcrest and Riverview; district plans a June Train‑the‑Trainer and seeks grant funding to offer the program as a class in each secondary school next year.
Sarah Marsh, the district lead on prevention programming, told the Murray City School District Board of Education that Sources of Strength — a peer‑leadership program designed to build protective factors such as connection and coping skills — has run pilots at Hillcrest Junior High and Murray High and was added this year at Riverview Junior High.
Marsh said adult advisers and students reported that the program provides leadership opportunities for students who were not previously involved in leadership work, strengthens school climate and gives students practical campaigns and activities they can run in their schools. She said a major implementation challenge has been finding consistent meeting time for student leaders at the high school level.
Student participants described concrete effects. “It’s really gotten me out of my shell,” said a Murray High junior who identified themself as Fintome. Another junior, Megan, said Sources of Strength helped her meet students she otherwise would not have known. Carolyn Martinez Ross, librarian and one of the adult advisers at Murray High, told the board the program produced student leaders who “took on responsibilities they never thought they would be able to.”
Marsh said the district will host the Sources of Strength Train‑the‑Trainer course in Murray June 9–12 to build local trainer capacity and sustain the program. She asked the board to support seeking a grant to fund offering Sources of Strength as a for‑credit class in each of the district’s three secondary schools next year and to align campaigns districtwide.
Board members asked a few logistical questions about staffing and scheduling. Marsh provided a list of adult advisers and noted Riverview has embedded the program into its peer leadership structure already. She also offered board members an invitation to observe June training sessions.
The presentation closed with Marsh thanking district leaders and advisers; the board took no formal vote on the program in this session.
