As a support group, seniors Madison Lowe, Brandi Morris, Dionte Watkins and Macy Crabtree introduced the idea of the club, You Are Not Alone.
“They all felt there was a need to create a support system for students who had experienced tragedy or felt as if they didn’t belong. When they asked me to be the sponsor, I was more than willing to be a part of such a noble cause,” sponsor and English teacher Dawn Higgs said.
The leaders of the club met at the beginning of December to discuss the requirements that they would have to meet in order to form the You Are Not Alone Club.
The first couple of meetings were mainly about getting to know each other. About 25 students attended. Lowe, Morris and Crabtree shared stories of their life, which helped them realize that they were not alone. At the next meeting they did an activity to get to the people who were at the meeting.
“Our second meeting, we asked the people that came to sit by someone they didn’t know and to put their heads down, and asked them a lot of questions such as, Do you feel safe at school or if they feel bullied, things of that nature,” Watkins said. “We had them raise their hands and we tallied it up and everybody looked at the board so everybody could see that you’re not the only one feeling the way you do.”
As new club members they are not exactly sure what is going to happen in the future. The club leaders want to let the students know that they are not alone.
“They are still in the early stages of defining what this organization will do. The primary focus of our efforts will be suicide prevention. This organization is so new, and there hasn’t been anything like it before. We are really trying to figure it out as we go,” Higgs said.
They hope to also help the community. The club plans on going to a soup kitchen, a nursing home or an animal shelter.
“We wanted to do it because I know a lot of kids who do feel alone and if they do something that helps the community or that helps other people, they’ll feel more wanted,” Lowe said.
They said they all had high hopes and goals for the club in the future. They hope it will continue many years.
“I hope that people realize that everything gets better with time and that you’re never alone no matter what’s going on in your life, or how you feel, there’s always a friend,” Crabtree said. “It’s not even for those who just need help but also for others who can reach out and be the help.”
