Attribution:

Ashleigh Larkin is an Assistant Principal at West Bloomfield High School. She holds a
Bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in Social Sciences, a Master of Arts in
Teaching, and is currently pursuing an Education Specialist degree in Educational
Leadership.

When I think back to when I graduated high school in 2004, I recall positive
memories of time spent with friends, cheerleading, and being a part of student council.
Most of us were cellphone-free until our senior year and depended on face-to-face
interactions. We were looking forward to college and never stressed out over college
entrance exams because you got what you got. I recall receiving my test score in the
mail, which was good enough to get me into Michigan State and that was good enough
for me. Did I experience tough times? Of course- we all did, but the pressures that we
experienced were minimal, our dependence on technology and social media was
nominal, and we had the grit to make it through the hard times.

When I think about our schools and students today, it is evident that times have
significantly changed. Technology is now something that students depend on and cant
live without. Their need and ability to receive instant gratification as a result of this
technology has been referred to as somewhat damaging. This technology has also
added another layer of complexity in the form of cyber bullying. In addition, the
pressures on high school students are through the roof. College admission has become
extremely competitive and forces our students to obsess over their test scores, grades,
and how many advanced placement or honors courses they are taking. For these
reasons, it is no surprise that we are seeing a rapid increase in student mental health
issues and teen suicides throughout our nations schools.

In 2016, NPR Ed released a series of articles on mental health in schools. In this

series, Meg Anderson and Kavitha Cardoza referred to mental health as a silent
epidemic and hidden crisis affecting millions of students. Up to one in five students in
schools show signs of a mental health disorder in a given year, yet many times these
issues go undiagnosed. According to the Parent Resource program, suicide is the
second leading cause of death in youth ages 12-18. While the statistics clearly show
that mental health issues and student suicide prevention must be acted upon, many
school systems are still unsure of how to implement these changes to their
environments and lack the resources necessary in getting these students the help that
they need and deserve.
 It is unacceptable for our society to continue on, turning a blind eye to student
mental health issues and suicide. Our nations leaders, as well as our school
administrators and school personnel must act. The creation of mandatory suicide
prevention programs should be mandated throughout our nation and implemented
within each school. According to Lenaars and Wenckstern, creating a suicide prevention
program is the most cost-effective and constructive avenue to combat the mental health
stigma and student suicide. Prevention programs equip individuals with information
necessary to understand the problem and to advocate for those affected. Mandating
prevention programs ensures that school personnel are being educated on mental
health issues. In addition, these programs create working relationships between mental
health experts, school personnel and students, detoxify the anxiety regarding suicide,
and demonstrate that mental health experts are approachable, caring, and professional.

In establishing these programs, teachers and school administrators must be on

the front lines. We can no longer afford to sit idly and watch our students experience
damaging mental health issues due to the pressures that society has placed upon them.
Our job as educators is to do what is best for students. By ignoring the problem, we are
perpetuating the stigma of mental health issues and suicide.