Presenters describe districtwide 'Sources of Strength' suicide-prevention program

Presenters described Bethel SD 52’s annual Sources of Strength program as a districtwide suicide-prevention initiative that brings students together just before spring break to connect with peers, mentors and extracurricular activities. "We are running our district wide campaign for Sources of Strength," said Presenter (S1), noting the event’s timing and activities.

The program is designed to teach students to identify emotions and link those feelings to personal supports and coping mechanisms, presenters said. "It's our district wide, suicide prevention program where we just learn to identify our emotions," Presenter (S1) said, adding that the effort emphasizes strengths rather than focusing only on trauma. Presenter (S2) explained the program seeks to know "what's going on, like, at home... in their actual social life" and to connect students to mentors and activities.

Student presenters gave first-person accounts of how the program and related activities helped their mental health. "Immediately by going ahead and joining extracurriculars... I was able to connect and it really helped my mental health a lot," said Presenter (S2), who described developing through coaches and friends. Another presenter said the program helped them out of a "deep... hole" and "has given me the ability to speak out and show people that there are more things in life," (Presenter (S3)).

The presenters characterized Sources of Strength as an annual, districtwide effort that combines informal social activities with targeted mental-health supports. Timing (just before spring break) and the focus on mentors and extracurriculars were noted repeatedly; no funding details, implementation schedule or formal board actions were provided in the recorded remarks.