COLUMBUS, Ind. — In 2019, an average of 35 percent of Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. students in Grades 6-12 reported feeling sad or hopeless for two or more weeks in a row — a nearly 5% increase since 2017, according to the Indiana Youth Survey.
This year, about 17% of BCSC students in Grades 6-12 reported that they had considered suicide at least once. Just over 14% of students in Grades 6-12 said they made a plan about suicide once in their life.
BCSC said 2018-19 was the first school year since 2008 when it did not have a youth suicide in its district.
Members of the Columbus community are stepping up to the plate to ensure no more lives are lost to suicide. Through peer mentoring, trauma-informed care, counseling programs and even a national initiative called Hope Squad, people of all ages across Columbus are starting the conversation.
Please read Friday’s edition of The Republic for more details.
