The document discusses the introduction of a HOPE Squad program to the Weber School District. A HOPE Squad consists of trained student peers who watch out for at-risk students, provide friendship, identify warning signs of suicide, and seek help from adults. Students will nominate their trustworthy classmates to serve on the HOPE Squad and be trained in suicide prevention. The goal is for peers to recognize signs of depression or suicide in other students and ensure they get help from an adult.

1. HOPE SQUAD

2. HOPE Squad
 For the 2017-2018 school year… Snowcrest
will be getting a HOPE Squad!
 In fact… every school in Weber School District
will be adopting the HOPE Squad program.
 Our current Student Response Team, who has
had similar training, will be moving into the
HOPE Squad and growing in size.

3. What is a HOPE Squad?
 HOPE Squads are the eyes and ears of your
school. They are comprised of students who
are trained to watch for at-risk students–
provide friendship, identify warning signs of
suicide, and seek help from adults.
 HOPE4UTAH works with school advisors to
train students who have been identified by
their classmates as trustworthy peers to serve
as HOPE Squad members.

4. What does HOPE Squad stand for
 H - Hold
 O – On.
 P – Persuade.
 E – Empower.

5. Peer Leadership
 One of the unique aspects of a HOPE Squad
is the peer-to-peer training. Peers are
considered to be the most effective receptors
of warning signs because they spend so much
time together and are able to recognize when
someone is acting differently.

6. Peer Leadership
 Evidence based research shows that 7 out of 10
adolescents experiencing depressive or suicidal
thoughts will confide in a friend or trusted peer
before approaching an adult.
 The challenge is that rarely will the friend or
trusted peer refer that person to an adult who can
get them professional help. The HOPE Squad
program seeks to close that gap and train a group
of peer selected students to help with the role of
always reporting suicide concerns.

7. Peer Nominations
 Be thinking of students in your grade that you
think would be good on the HOPE Squad.
 You will be asked to nominate 3 people that
you would feel comfortable approaching or
talking to if you had a problem or concern.

8. Peer Nominations
 Students should be selected for being:
 Concerned about others
 Easy to talk with
 A good listener
 Someone you could turn to if you needed a friend
 Someone who does not bully others

9. Peer Nominations
 The students you nominate should be in your
grade, as they will be with you every year until
graduation.
 You will remain completely anonymous. Your
name will not be connected to the students
you nominate.
 Students will be carefully selected and offered
a position on the HOPE Squad. We are
planning to have a team of approximately 20
students, with a mix of 7th, 8th, and 9th graders.

10. Nominations
 This week in your English class, you will have
the opportunity to nominate up to 3 people you
think would be a good candidate.
 Please take these nominations seriously… we
need your help to create a GREAT team!