Hurricane of Hope brings teen depression to light

Although a hurricane can often evoke fear or sadness, students and administrators in Northwest Suburban High School District 214 expect the Hurricane Of Hope will have the exact opposite effect when it sweeps through the suburbs on Saturday with its message of awareness and support for those suffering from teen depression or considering suicide.

Parents, students, and community members are invited to Hurricane of Hope, a day devoted to raising awareness and open communication about teen suicide, depression and anxiety, from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 5 at the Forest View Educational Center, 2121 S. Goebbert Rd., Arlington Heights. The day’s events include guest speakers, interactive games, a lap around the track in solidarity to A-C-T (Acknowledge, Care, Tell), and more. Keynote speaker and Harper College Adjunct Professor Frank J. Klawitter will speak on the topic, “Weathering the Storm.”

The program came from two District 214 students, Jessica Giambarberee, senior at Prospect High School and Elizabeth Bailey, senior at Buffalo Grove High School, who went to Prospect Principal Kurt Laakso after discussing what they felt were too many instances of suicides in the suburbs.

“I just felt like I had to do something for all these people left behind,” Bailey said.

Laakso had noticed the same phenomenon, and though he isn’t sure if the issue is greater than in the past, he said he felt now was the time to do something about it.

“It was almost like a saturation point was reached and we knew the time to act was now,” he said.

“Anyone who has ever suffered the death of a loved one through suicide realizes how devastating that experience is,” Laakso said. “There’s a sense of helplessness from everyone who wonders if they could have done something differently. The only thing we can do is keep the conversation open so people realize they aren’t struggling alone.”

With more than 700 students saying they are attending on a Facebook page for the event, organizers are preparing for a big crowd and said students and families from schools outside District 214 are invited.

Because the district wanted to focus on looking forward rather than backward, parents and family members or particular students who have committed suicide were not organizers, but are invited to attend.

Teen suicide and depression can be an often undiscussed subject in high schools and in the media, which Laakso said he hopes this event will help change.

“We need to be more proactive instead of reactive. We want to look forward to a future where we are more prepared to deal with depression before something terrible happens,” he said.

Bailey said she was surprised by how much people started talking about teen depression even just through planning the event.

“You never know who might be struggling, we had so many people come up to us and thank us for doing this event that you would never guess would need it,” she said.

To connect people who need help with those who can provide it, a Community Resource Fair will be held the same day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Forest View Educational Center Field House with information about mental health, career training, education, housing, transition services, and much more.

For Bailey, who struggled with depressed in junior high and saw a friend lose her brother to suicide earlier in high school, Saturday will be a meaningful day and both student organizers will share their experiences with the crowd.

With graduation only a few weeks away, both students plan to study nursing in college and stay involved with mental health awareness issues in the future.

“There is hope. You don’t have to do this and there is another way out other than killing yourself,” Bailey said. “I hope the whole community comes out and literally and figuratively wraps our arms around each other to show each other that you aren’t alone.”