Deer Lakes School District announces launch of Hope Squad

A West Deer mother’s goal to have a Hope Squad in the Deer Lakes School District soon will be a reality.

The district announced Friday the suicide prevention program will launch later this month, teaching students how to lead their peers to mental health resources and help those who may be struggling.

The program will train a group of 20 students to show empathy for their peers and to reduce the stigma of mental illness and seeking help.

Molly Rupprecht of West Deer has been working to raise awareness about suicide prevention in honor of her daughter, Maura, who died by suicide at 16 in March 2019. Rupprecht works with the Deer Lakes Hockey Club to hold annual alumni hockey games to raise proceeds to help fund Hope Squads at schools across the area.

Rupprecht said everyone involved in the effort is excited to see the program making progress at Deer Lakes.

“We look forward to seeing what wonderful things this group accomplishes. We know that they will make the world a better place,” she said.

The first hockey game in December 2019 raised $8,400 to fund a squad at Deer Lakes. After raising $6,000 at a second game held in May 2021, Valley High School announced in February a Hope Squad will soon be launching.

About $10,000 was raised at a third game in January this year. Two schools are interested, but which will receive the funds has not been determined, Rupprecht said.

Deer Lakes High School Principal Pat Baughman said this program will help create an opportunity for students to be leaders in normalizing seeking help.

“Students who are in Hope Squad are not counselors or mental health professionals themselves. They will be well trained to listen, observe warning signs and communicate when someone is struggling in some way,” he said.

Students were notified of the launch of Hope Squad during lunch periods to learn more about it. Students were encouraged to write about what they love on a heart and place it on a banner. In return, students received a Hope Squad logo sticker with the number of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Donna Turk, who will be conducting the training for the program, said students already expressed interest in joining. Students must get permission from a parent or guardian before undergoing training, which will include knowing the warning signs of suicide and to act when someone is struggling by referring them to an administrator, counselor or another mental health professional at Deer Lakes.

Students can nominate peers to be a part of the program.

“There is a lot of enthusiasm for this program from our students. We only have about three months left in this school year, and we want to build a great foundation for Hope Squad to be successful,” Turk said.

Hope Squad began when Gregory Hudnall founded the program at a high school in Provo City School District in Utah in 2004 after vowing to prevent childhood suicides. Nearly 1,300 schools in 35 states and Canada have a Hope Squad. There are more than 30,000 squad members, and more than 5,000 students have been referred for help.

Deer Lakes has another program in place called Stand Together, which is entering its third year. Stand Together “promotes the importance of mental health, social inclusion and individual empowerment.” The program works against mental health stigmas and substance abuse disorders.