Rogers student urges expanded mental‑health education and peer supports

Jocelyn Guadarrama Figueroa, a senior at Rogers Heritage High School, told the Rogers School District board that she nearly lost her life during her freshman year and urged the district to make student mental health a higher priority.

"By integrating mental health topics into our curriculum, we can foster better understanding and reduce the stigma associated with mental illnesses," Jocelyn said, adding that peer support programs and increased access to on‑site counselors could make students more likely to seek help. She described personal therapy and peer support as key to her recovery after her childhood friend, Alexandra Soda, died by suicide in 2021.

Jocelyn recommended classroom lessons on recognizing warning signs, coping strategies and where to find resources, and she suggested informational sessions for parents to align school and home support. During a follow‑up exchange with board members, Jocelyn said peer counselors felt less intimidating than adult counselors: "I think a peer program...is way less scarier than having, I mean, like, 30 year olds or 40 year olds coming to you."

Board members and administrators thanked Jocelyn for sharing her story and asked questions about what interventions helped her; she named a therapist she connected with as pivotal. The board did not take any formal action during the meeting on district mental‑health policy, but the presentation underscored student‑driven calls for expanded supports and curriculum changes.

The board’s next regular meeting is scheduled for March 18, when the district could take up policy questions raised by public comment and student testimony.