Junior high school peer-led group aims to cut teen suicide

ROCK SPRINGS — A group of seventh and eighth graders are taking the next step to suicide prevention.

The students, along with their adult advisors, presented a suicide prevention program called Sources of Strength during the Sweetwater County School District No. 1 Board of Trustees meeting earlier this month. 

Rock Springs Junior High School recently started using Sources of Strength. Researchers and advocates point to it as one of few prevention programs that research shows is effective. The program teaches students to build a wheel of support that they can turn to: positive friends, mentors, healthy activities, generosity, etc.

The students said they believe life has “ups and downs.” 

Their mission is to ensure no one gets so overwhelmed or hopeless that they want to give up while they’re facing the rough times.

“Our mission is to spread hope, help and strength to every corner of our community,” they said. “Our mission is to help students and staff turn to their strengths, and there’s support all around us.”

They added that their mission recognizes that their voice has great power, and they use it “to break the silence” when teens are struggling and to connect them to the help they need and deserve.

“We spread hope by focusing on stories of strength rather than on our stories of trauma,” they said.

They noted the most powerful impact comes from their personal actions, conversations, and messages in their music, writing, activities, social media, their culture and their voice.

The students talked about Upstream Prevention, a primary mission of Sources of Strength. Upstream Prevention addresses the root causes that lead people to the edge in the first place. According to the students, it’s about building a strong, supportive community, reducing the stigma and helping people find resources and encouraging them to stay out of the water.

The students shared a story about a woman who lived by the riverside in a quiet neighborhood. Every morning, she took her dog for a walk along the riverbank. One morning, she heard a scream — someone was drowning. Without hesitation, she jumped in and pulled the person to safety. The next day, during her walk, she heard two people calling for help. Again, she dove in and rescued them.

On the third day, three people were struggling in the water. She realized she couldn’t do this alone. She went to the community and asked for help. Together, they organized lifeguards, set up watchtowers, and trained people in CPR to respond to emergencies.

But one day, as she walked her usual path, she saw someone else drowning — and instead of jumping in, she began walking upstream. The community shouted after her: “Where are you going? People need you! You’re leaving them in a crisis!”

Her response was she wanted to find out why so many people were falling into the river in the first place. The message of the story is learning the warning signs, encouraging people to seek help and make mental health referrals.

“These guys are watching their peers upstream,” Koral Huler, RSJH counselor, said. “They’re making sure they don’t fall in the river in the first place.”

The adult advisors noted Sources of Strength is evidence- based intervention that works.

“Schools participating in Sources in Strength programming reduce their overall odds of new suicide attempts by 29%. It’s important we get to provide this program with efficacy and fidelity,” Huler said, noting everyone in Sources of Strength is well-trained. “The program also works across diverse demographics. It’s not just for a small group of students, and it’s not just for kids in crisis, but improving their lives overall.”

This story was published on Oct. 25, 2025.