On Friday March 22, nine Sources of Strength Peer Leaders and two Adult Advisors traveled to the Tyler Fair Grounds for the Sources of Strength Retreat hosted by NextStep Community Solutions.
“I enjoyed everything about the retreat, but I was a huge fan of the yoga session,” Adult Advisor Carey Murphy said. “At first it was a little out of my comfort zone, but by the end I was so relaxed and felt ready to tackle anything. I also really enjoyed the opening session where our students got up and danced and met students from all over East Texas.”
The Peer Leaders who attend are Treasure Dixon, Damian Dominguez, Rickiera Guinn, McKayla Holland, Carlesa Lister, Xsavier Ortiz, Molly Quine, Grace Reese, and Haeleigh Wilson. The Adult Advisors that attended are counselors Carey Murphy and Jennifer Quine.
“I would most definitely go next year, it was a very good experience I could use in many aspects of my life,” sophomore Molly Quine said. “I went to the retreat because it was a good way to get involved in the new Sources of Strength program.”
At the end of the retreat, there was an award ceremony. Carey Murphy won the Caring, Connected, Positive Award, Haeleigh Wilson won the Connector for Help Award, and Rickiera Guinn won the Agent of Change Award.
“I won an award for connector to help,” sophomore Haeleigh Wilson said. “Honestly I think I won the award because I’ve gotten many people to talk to the Counselors, and some have even used the hotline.”
There were four different sessions: a yoga session to focus on breathing whenever you are stressed, a game session to bring people together using games and fun activities, a think and share session where Peer Leaders share different ideas and campaigns that their schools have done, and a session where you could color a cute pot.
“My favorite session was the yoga one with the breathing exercises,” senior Rickiera Guinn said. “I learned different ways to be a positive change at the retreat.”
Sources of Strength is a new organization at KHS. SOS is a suicide prevention group that focuses more on the positivies of life rather than the negatives. It uses Peer Leader students and Adult Leader faculty members to help hold campaigns to tell more people about SOS, while trying to bring the school together, and make it a positive place. The retreat was a way for Peer Leaders and adult Advisers to come together and learn new things about each other, and new ideas for campaigns.
