Juniors have been participating in Question, Persuade and Respond (QPR) Training led by Margaret Watt, a Prevention Director at Positive Directions, in their health classes since Monday, Sept. 30. Located in Westport, Positive Directions is a non-profit organization whose goal is to educate individuals about mental health and support those in recovery through counseling.
QPR Training focuses on equipping participants with the tools needed to help those considering suicide. The training takes two days to complete and includes a simulation where students can practice their newly acquired skills.
Watt has been conducting this training for a little over a decade, hoping to encourage high school students to support one another when it comes to mental health.
“What I love about QPR is that it puts some resources and tools into the hands of someone who could help and be a supporter,” Watt said.
According to the Jed Foundation, 22% of teenagers considered commiting suicide in 2023, with 45% of these teens being members of the queer community. With the uptick in mental health issues among high school students, Staples decided to introduce suicide prevention training as a part of the junior health curriculum in 2021.
“By openly talking about suicide, it helps to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues and encourages students to get help when needed,” health teacher Jennifer Telford said.
During the training, students learn how to identify the verbal, non-verbal, behavioral and situational clues that someone is suicidal. Students become qualified in helping a suicidal person get support and saving a life.
“I think it’s important to learn these skills and use them in the real world,” Rebecca Schachter ’26 said. “It was also interesting to learn how big of an issue suicide is.”
