Glendale, Peoria high schoolers share message of hope with Teen Lifeline

A record number of Arizona high school students are joining forces to remind their peers that no one has to face life's challenges alone.

Sixty-three students representing 38 high schools across the state are participating in the eighth annual Teen Lifeline Messages of Hope campaign during Teen Suicide Prevention Awareness Month this September.

Vannya Murrieta Carrillo, a cheerleader at Apollo High School in Glendale, is one of the students that recorded  a message.

One student from a school in Peoria, Brenna Winn, a cheerleader at Liberty High School, also took part in Messages of Hope.

The students include football players, flag football players, cheerleaders, pom team members, marching band members and ROTC cadets. They recorded public service announcement-style videos encouraging classmates to seek help when they are struggling.

"Teenagers often turn to their friends before they turn to adults, which makes peer voices incredibly powerful," stated Michelle Moorhead, executive director of Teen Lifeline, in a press release. "When a teen hears someone they recognize from the football field, the sidelines or the school hallway say it's okay to ask for help, it can give them the courage they need to reach out."

Now in its 40^th year of operations as a 24/7/365 free, confidential, peer-to-peer hotline for teenagers, Teen Lifeline historically experiences some of its highest call volumes of the year during August and September as teens return to school routines.

Nearly two-thirds of the teens who contact Teen Lifeline reach out because of relationship challenges with friends, family members or a significant other. One in every three contacts comes from a young person experiencing thoughts of suicide.

The Messages of Hope campaign has expanded from nine football players representing four Arizona high schools in 2019 into a statewide campaigns. Thirteen schools are participating for the first time this year.