Identifying suicide-prone teenagers and helping them before it’s too late – that’s the goal of a community forum organized by Battle Ground educators and civic leaders.
An outgrowth of a community suicide-prevention meeting Oct. 22, the forum is set for Wed., Nov. 28, 6-9 p.m., at the former Lewisville Middle School, Building C, Room 20, located at 406 NW Sixth Ave., Battle Ground.
Parents, teachers, counselors, clergy, employers, teenagers and the general public are encouraged to attend the forum, titled “Suicide, the Silent Killer. We Are Not Going to be Silent Anymore.”
James Mazza, professor of educational psychology at the University of Washington, will be the keynote speaker. For more information on him, visit www.Washington.edu and type “James J. Mazza” in the search window.
“We want all the major stakeholders to be involved and start actively identifying youths at risk,” Mazza said. “We need parents and the community involved.”
Denice Harvey, the supervisor of school counselors, said, “We hope people come away from the forum with a better understanding of youth suicide and how parents and community can respond.”
Harvey stressed that the suicide-prevention effort is not just a school district program.
“It’s a community effort,” Harvey said. “Mayor Lisa Walters and Police Chief Bob Richardson and others are key participants.”
Shonny Bria, Battle Ground Public Schools’ superintendent, said that the suicide-prevention effort is in keeping with the September announcement by America’s Promise Alliance that Battle Ground is one of the “100 Best Communities for Young People” in the nation.
“This is further evidence of how this community does care very much about its young people,” Bria said.
