Tragedy in Small Town

[mackeycam15]

Blackfoot High School, home of FTC 10665, has witnessed two suicides in the last two days. Any advice on how to move forward as a team and a school is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Edit: one death was not a suicide. The student was killed in a motorcycle accident.

[IKE]

In the near term, support each other through the grieving process. Find a contact number for a grief counselor or suicide prevention line and make sure folks know there are people out there that care.

[Carolyn_Grace]

I'm so sorry for your losses. The grief you are going through is undeniable confusing and painful. I've been there. At times I'm still there, months and years later. The pain from suicides and young deaths in general is one that is indescribable.

My advice:
Talk about it. Give students opportunity to talk about it. Allow everyone to grieve their own way. Give everyone time as they need to grieve. Ask students if they want to talk about it. Make sure mentors are connected and communicating and taking care to allow themselves to grieve as well. Be there for each other, but assess your own state of mind as well.

Talk about healthy ways to handle emotions right now.
Cry When you feel like it.
Laugh when you remember the good times.
Cry while you laugh.

Find an outlet.
One time for me that was a long run with a trusted friend. Physical outlet to allow me to decompress.
Another time it was painting a room in the house. Mental outlet, that was making something new again.

And please know that there are people in this FIRST community praying for you all, thinking about you, and hoping you find peace somehow.

[DonRotolo]

Yes. Opportunities to talk as a group. Rspect the grieving process.