Queen Creek student takes part in Teen Lifeline Messages of Hope

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 Arizona are participating in the Eighth Annual Teen Lifeline Messages of Hope campaign during Teen Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in September.

One of those students is Lyla Martinez, a varsity cheerleader at Queen Creek High School. Martinez is the only student from Queen Creek who is part of the campaign.

Students taking part in Teen Lifeline Messages of Hope 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," Michelle Moorhead, executive director of Teen Lifeline, stated in a press release. "When a teen hears someone they recognize from the football field, the sidelines or the school hallway say it's OK to ask for help, it can give them the courage they need to reach out."

Now in its 40^th year as a 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, the press release continued.

“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 release stated.

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

Students recorded their messages in June at North Canyon High School in Phoenix. The videos will be shared on participant, team and school social media channels. Whenever possible, the participating schools will also feature the videos during morning announcements.

Throughout Teen Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in 2025, Teen Lifeline staff visited 162 Arizona schools to provide suicide prevention education, resources and messages of hope to students.

Struggling teens are encouraged to call Teen Lifeline 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 602-248-8336 in Phoenix or 520-327-8336 in Tucson. Teens can also text those numbers between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. every day of the year.

The lifeline is staffed from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily by trained teen peer counselors who are supervised by master's-level clinicians. Professional adult counselors answer calls at all other times.