GiveBIG to YSPP May 15
YSPP is honored to be selected by The Seattle Foundation's GiveBIG. GiveBIG is a one-day, online charitable giving event to inspire people to give generously to nonprofit organizations who make our region a healthier and more vital place to live.
On Wednesday, May 15, each credit card donation made at the YSPP page on The Seattle Foundation's website(between midnight and midnight PDT), will receive a prorated portion of matching funds, or "stretch" pool.
The amount of the "stretch" (up to $25,000 per donor) depends on the size of the stretch pool and how much is raised in total donations on GiveBIG day.
Find out more about GiveBIG at The Seattle Foundation>
YSPP Helps Children of Military Families
After learning about the suicide rate among children of military families, youth leaders of the Washington Air/Army National Guard Youth program (WANGY) at Fairchild AFB in Spokane contacted YSPP to schedule a workshop that would teach them how to better support suicidal peers and family members.
On January 26, we presented a series of day-long suicide prevention workshops to six Washington State National Guard youth leaders representing six school districts. We have three more trainings with them scheduled for the spring.
The youth leaders were very enthusiastic and told us they left more familiar with the issue of suicide, its impact on their communities, and how to use their skills to help friends and peers.
We taught mini-workshops on stress and stress management; youth depression; attitudes and facts about youth suicide; bullying and its effects; signs of suicidal thinking; peer intervention; and leadership and action on youth suicide. To lighten the mood lessons were interspersed with a rock-paper-scissors tournament, a game of balloon volleyball, and a lasagna and salad lunch served by the youth to raise funds for their program.
We closed the training with a discussion of how they could convey their new knowledge to other youth through presentations, discussions at the program’s summer camp, or a Facebook PSA.
The Washington Air/Army National Guard Youth program’s mission is to promote and develop high quality programs... which provide National Guard youth with opportunities to enhance their leadership skills, self-awareness, academic achievements, and a better understanding of being a military child, especially during times of military deployment.
Announcement - Parents & Teens Needed for Self-injury Study
CARES (Collaborative Adolescent Research on Emotions and Suicide) in partnership with Seattle Children's Hospital and the University of Washington is conducting a study on self-injury. Both parents and teens are being asked to participate.
As part of the study, Seattle Children's Hospital and the University of Washington will provide specialized treatment for adolescents engaging in suicidal behaviors and studying how to help reduce those behaviors. This randomized controlled trial will examine the efficacy of two treatments through a 6-month therapy protocol and 5 assessments over a 1 year period. Teens and parents will also be asked to complete questionnaires and interviews.
Interested families can get more information by calling CARES at 206.221.CARE. You can also view this flyer for more information.
YSPP knows studies like this address very personal and sensitive issues. We appreciate your consideration to participate and help.
YSPP's Spokane OUTLoud Coordinator Honored
YSPP’s OUTLoud Spokane Coordinator, Shannon Bedard, was recently honored by the Molina Healthcare for her work in education for anti-bullying and suicide prevention among youth in Eastern Washington. She focuses on outreach to marginalized groups, and on reaching out to rural communities that may not have access to suicide awareness and prevention, training folks that work with youth what to do if they expect someone is suffering from depression that could lead to suicide.
“Molina Healthcare is grateful for community champions like Shannon Bedard,” said Glen Bogner, president of Molina Healthcare of Washington. “Suicide is an issue that many adults do not know how to address, and Shannon has taught hundreds of educators how to prevent further tragedies among young people.”
Shannon was presented with the Community Champions Award in Education on October 25 in Lynnwood. Over 200 guests attended and seven champions were honored. Each champion received a $1,000 grant. Shannon is donating her grant to YSPP.
Congratulations, Shannon! And thank you for all the wonderful work you’ve done to save the lives of young people.
4th Annual Walk About to Talk About Suicide Prevention in Benton Franklin Counties
There have been more than 17 reported suicides in Benton-Franklin Counties this year. So on Saturday, September 15, YSPP's Benton-Franklin Suicide Prevention Coalition held its 4th Annual Walk About to Talk About Suicide Prevention
More than 200 people came out in Kennewick to raise awareness for suicide prevention, and to raise some funds, too. All three television news stations and the Tri-City Herald covered the walk. Most importantly, youths in Benton-Franklin now know that their community cares for and supports them.
Thank you to everyone who came out for showing you care. And thank you to the Kennewick Outback Steakhouse for allowing us to use your parking lot to meet, and for donating a Bloomin' Onion to the first 100 participants.
Watch KNDU's coverage of the walk
Heather Carter honored as a White House LGBT Champion of Change
John Berry, Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Engagement (seated at the bottom
left), with Heather Carter (seated at the bottom right) and the other LGBT Pride Month
Champions of Change, July 19, 2012. (Photo (c) by the White House Office of Public
Engagement)
On July 19, 2012, the White House honored Heather Carter and five other Champions of Change for their work to ensure safety, dignity, and equality for the LGBT community.
Each week, the White House honors ordinary people who are doing extraordinary things to improve and strengthen their communities, but this is the first time they've focused specifically on LGBT champions and the LGBT community.
You can view the full ceremony here, where at about 26 minutes in, Heather tells a heartbreaking, but hopeful, story about a particular youth from one of her recent trainings. This youth spoke to her about his suicide attempt last year, his family who does not support him, and how she was able to help him. She ran into him at June's Pride Parade, where he told her he was "getting there."
"That, for me, is the motivation," she said of her work, and what drives her passion for this cause.
The video, produced by Shaun Knittel of the Seattle Gay News and filmed and edited by Dru Dinero, about Heather's work in suicide prevention was submitted to the White House in June. Thanks to your votes, Heather was selected for her tireless work in running YSPP’s OUTLoud Program, which focuses on the particular needs of LGBT youth facing suicide.
Congratulations, Heather! We always knew you were a champion, and now the country knows, too.
Ballard High School & Cascade Middle School to Receive the 2011-2012 Trevor Award
Congratulations to Ballard High School in Seattle and Cascade Middle School in Vancouver for winning the 2011-2012 Trevor R. Simpson Award.
Not only do these students do remarkable work in their own schools, but they are willing to help out other schools in their community who do not have suicide prevention programs of their own.
Ballard students gave presentations at Roosevelt High School and McClure Middle School, and Cascade students gave presentations to students and staff at Pacific Middle School. Ballard students also held an event to let LGBT students there know that they are accepted and supported for who they are.
YSPP is very excited about the work students in these schools are doing, and know that they are contributing greatly to helping to save lives.
The official award ceremonies will be held next fall. Congratulations again!
