In order to spread mental health and suicide awareness, Frisco ISD has organized a presentation on Wednesday at the Frisco ISD Administration Board Room from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The presentation, “FISD and You”, will cover suicide prevention, ways to help children and teens facing mental health challenges, and promote mental wellness. 

“It is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and we do this every year in Frisco ISD. Just to try to bring more awareness, it’s just another way to make sure all of our kiddos are safe and have someone,” Rainey said. “Anybody who is suffering from mental health, or thoughts of suicide, we don’t want them to be alone. We want them to know they’re not alone, and we want them to get the help they need,” 

Mental health is a topic that deserves more attention and awareness needs to be spread according to freshman Vanessa Park.

“I think mental health and suicide awareness is really important, especially in high school, since that’s when the stress gets to you a lot and all those thoughts really build up,” Park said. “We focus on it for, like, one week–not even a week, a day–and that’s it. We need better awareness.”

Mental health issues can also affect students’ performance in the classroom.

“There is a psychologist named Maslow who talks about the hierarchy of needs, and learning is a part of what he calls self-actualization, which is sort of like the fourth step. You have to have enough to eat, and feel safe,” social studies teacher Sarah Wiseman said. “You need to feel loved, you need to have self esteem, in order to become more self actualized. If you’re having a mental health crisis, you’re probably struggling with esteem, or feeling self love, and so you may be able to learn to a degree, but your brain isn’t able to commit fully to the task.”

Students who need support or someone to talk to about issues or concerns about either their own, or a classmate’s mental health can reach out to their counselor through their website.