Monday, January 20, 2025
0.0°F

SHS students are creating connections

Mary Malone Staff Writer | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 8 years, 4 months AGO
by Mary Malone Staff Writer
| September 20, 2016 1:00 AM

SANDPOINT — Today is the first Connections class for Sandpoint High School students and school officials hope the program will help students find success throughout their high school years.

As the name suggests, Connections allows students to connect with fellow students and talk about any issues or questions they might have, from school academics to personal thoughts and concerns.

"It is an opportunity for multi-grade levels, seniors, juniors, sophomores and ninth-graders to connect, to build some school unity, and also a mentor program where the older students can help mentor the younger students in the transition into high school," said SHS Principal Tom Albertson.

Planning for Connections began last spring and it is funded by a grant through the Idaho Department of Education's Sources of Strength program. Sources of Strength is a nationally recognized suicide prevention program that consists of eight categories or "strengths:" family support, mental health, positive friends, medical access, spirituality, generosity, healthy activity and mentors.

Cindy Albertson, SHS senior counselor, said the eight categories have been proven through research to help students, and adults, to find success in life.

"When those eight things are strengthened, or the majority of them, there is less depression, there is less (suicide) attempts and there is less completion," she said.

The mission of Sources of Strength is to spread hope, help and strength — to break the silence when someone is struggling and spread hope through stories of strength rather than stories of trauma.

Connections is based on the Sources of Strength curriculum, but it is not the "all inclusive" purpose of the new program, Tom Albertson said. It is also about helping students through the transition of high school, to work on school climate and to help students understand other students perspectives.

"How to be successful in high school, really, is what we are talking about," he said. "How to study for finals, how to keep organized, how to keep your grades up — having peers support peers with a trusted adult backing them up."

Cindy Albertson said the program is driven by student surveys over the last couple of years, where students often said they would like to have the chance to connect with other students more.

"The busy life of high school, they go from class to class and then they have a 30-minute lunch, but that's not the type of connection they were really wanting," she said. "So it was definitely student driven."

The program will combine three elements, Cindy Albertson said. Seniors have been required to do a senior project for several years, and freshman have always been assigned a mentor to help with the transition into high school, she said, so this program will combine those two elements with the Sources of Strength. The seniors will have more contact with younger students, so part of their service will be working with those students in their Connections group.

Every student is required to attend Connections, held once a month after second period, as if it were a regular scheduled class. Students are required to attend and listen respectfully, but are not required talk — although it is encouraged. A class of about 50 peer mentors completed a training program recently, and each peer mentor will lead a group of 18-20 students along with a teacher or certified staff member. The groups were randomly selected and each will include students of all grade-levels.

The seniors will graduate, but juniors, sophomores and freshman will stay in the same groups each year in order to grow and retain support as they progress through high school.

"Sometimes it's just making that connection, meeting a person that you would never meet ... and it can be as simple as outside the Connections group, smiling and saying hi — support that we believe in and actually already happens at Sandpoint High School, but this will just strengthen that," Tom Albertson said.

MORE IMPORTED STORIES

Breaking the silence
Bonner County Daily Bee | Updated 8 years, 3 months ago
Is it program connecting?
Bonner County Daily Bee | Updated 7 years, 11 months ago
Students unveil senior projects
Bonner County Daily Bee | Updated 8 years, 2 months ago

ARTICLES BY MARY MALONE STAFF WRITER

Shotgun and drugs lead to arrests
October 6, 2016 1 a.m.

Shotgun and drugs lead to arrests

BONNERS FERRY — Two individuals were arrested after a shotgun and drugs were found following an alleged incident at Bonners Ferry High School.

Drones take off at Priest River Elementary
January 1, 2020 midnight

Drones take off at Priest River Elementary

PRIEST RIVER­ — Wearing their flight crew colors, the fifth-grade students walked side by side across the gymnasium to ensure the flight deck was clear of debris.

Mentoring foster kids & the art of fly fishing
August 6, 2019 1 a.m.

Mentoring foster kids & the art of fly fishing

SANDPOINT — Giving foster kids the opportunity to get out into nature and learn the art of fly fishing is a powerful therapeutic tool, allowing the youngsters to leave behind some of the stress while also building their confidence and self-esteem.