HOME OF THE SHAMROCKS
In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, Salmon River High School students and staff recently participated in a Colors Week initiative, championed by the school’s Sources of Strength program. The week-long event encouraged participants to identify and celebrate their personal strengths by wearing a specific color each day.
Sources of Strength is a youth-led suicide prevention program that focuses on an “upstream” model. Its core mission is to increase help-seeking behaviors and foster strong connections between peers and caring adults. By strengthening multiple sources of support—known as protective factors—the program aims to equip young individuals with resilience to draw upon during challenging times.
The program highlights eight key strengths, represented on its distinctive “wheel”:
- Family Support
- Positive Friends
- Mentors
- Healthy Activities
- Generosity
- Spirituality
- Physical Health
- Mental Health
During lunch periods throughout Colors Week, the Sources of Strength team set up in the high school lobby. Students and staff were invited to engage in discussions about personal strengths, explore valuable mental health resources and participate in interactive activities. As an added incentive, those who wore the designated color each day received a ballot for a special prize drawing.
Salmon River High School extends a special thank you to the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe’s (SRMT) Alcoholism/Chemical Dependency Program and the Native Connections Grant for their generous support, which provided prizes, lollipops and freezies for participants. Their contribution significantly enhanced the success and positive atmosphere of Colors Week.
