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Each shirt reads: 鈥淒ear person behind me, the world is better with you in it. From the person in front of you.鈥�

Junior Desmond Rich said students he doesn鈥檛 know will approach him for mental health support because they recognize the shirt and know he鈥檚 part of the student-led suicide prevention group.

Araceli Hernandez, another Hope Squad member and junior, said a friend once came to her for help when a student was experiencing suicidal thoughts.

鈥淭hey just wanted to end their life,鈥� Hernandez said. 鈥淢y friend told me about it, and they were like, 鈥業 came to you and the other Hope Squad member because I knew you guys could help. I didn't know who else to go to.鈥欌��

鈥淎nd we ended up getting her the help,鈥� she said.聽

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Since Hope Squad's launch in 2022, Reagan High School has had no reported suicides, Milwaukee Public Schools spokesperson Stephen Davis said.聽

Republican lawmakers on Wisconsin鈥檚 budget committee cut $250,000 in annual grant funding for peer-to-peer suicide prevention 鈥� programs like Hope Squad.

About 300 school districts across Wisconsin have peer-led mental wellness groups, including other Hope Squads, according to the Wisconsin Office of Children鈥檚 Mental Health. The programs have gotten grant funding from the state for the past two years. Gov. Tony Evers proposed continuing that funding in his budget, but Republicans cut it.

鈥淭hey took out some specific programs, peer-to-peer suicide prevention, which is really 鈥� an odd decision on their part because that is something that鈥檚 very, very supported locally,鈥� Evers said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not quite sure why they took that out.鈥�

Travis Pinter, Milwaukee Public Schools senior director of specialized services, said the district was able to start Hope Squad because of a 鈥済enerous donation鈥� from a community member who lost a child to suicide. Milwaukee Public Schools now has a Hope Squad in all of its high schools and middle schools, each with peer-nominated student members and staff who advise them.

But not all districts have access to that kind of philanthropic money, especially small rural districts that struggle to afford basic staff, .

Support in a 鈥榮cary鈥� world

Rich, Hertig and Hernandez said Hope Squad is an important resource at a time when students are struggling with their mental health. They said Reagan students experience academic stress, bullying, self-harm, suicidal ideation, anxiety and fear.

Hernandez, who is Mexican, said her family has legal status, but she knows students who are scared of going to school because they don鈥檛 want to be deported.聽Rich said students fear being targeted for their gender identity or sexual orientation.

鈥淭here were people who were terrified,鈥� Hernandez said. 鈥淭he fact that we live in this world is very scary.鈥�

Hope Squad uses a variety of strategies to help students feel safe and supported.

Older students mentor freshmen who are scared about the transition into high school. Hope Squad hosts lessons for freshmen about coping skills they can use to process their emotions in healthy ways.

The group has hung up flyers, handed out bracelets and posted on social media to spread mental health awareness. Hope Squad鈥檚 annual mental health fair brings health-care providers and other community resources into the school to connect with students. This year, hundreds attended the group鈥檚 annual 鈥淩un for Hope鈥� event to walk or run to end suicide and the stigma against mental health.

鈥淗aving suicide prevention be such a visible part of our school community allows for people to know that it鈥檚 OK to have those emotions,鈥� Rich said. 鈥淭here are ways for them to get help without being made fun of.鈥�

Overcoming struggles

All three students said Hope Squad has improved their mental health.

Rich said he attempted suicide in 5th grade because he was not accepted by his friends when he came out as bisexual. He said he was bullied and felt like 鈥渁n outcast.鈥�

"The faculty, they didn't really do much about it," he said. "That just sort of took a huge toll on my mental health and sent me spiraling."

Switching schools and finding supportive friends helped him begin to heal. He said Hope Squad has provided him with a community where he knows 鈥渋t鈥檚 always OK to talk about how you鈥檙e feeling.鈥�

Hertig, who uses they/them pronouns, said they struggled during the pandemic. They felt isolated and sometimes didn鈥檛 eat when home alone, which prompted some 鈥渕inor self-harm,鈥� they said.

They said returning to school helped, but also caused some social anxiety.

鈥淚 kind of forgot how to act in public,鈥� Hertig said. 鈥淵ou weren鈥檛 sure if what you were doing was normal or if people were gonna look at you weird.鈥�

Hertig wore a mask until 2023 to hide their face, but said Hope Squad helped them gain confidence. 鈥淚t really brought me out of my shell."

Hernandez said she鈥檚 been bullied about her weight since childhood, including on social media.

On the day of her Quincea帽era, she said she received a flood of hateful messages online. She said she started sobbing, and it ruined a day that was 鈥渟upposed to be my day.鈥�

Hernandez said it鈥檚 stressful when the cruelty comes 鈥渇rom people who don鈥檛 even have a face behind their account.鈥�

鈥淚t has hurt me and impacted me a lot throughout my life,鈥� Hernandez said. 鈥淥ne of the reasons why I鈥檓 so insecure and struggle with mental health is because of those people.鈥�

Now, she said, she鈥檚 surrounded by friends in Hope Squad who understand and support her mental health rather than bringing her down.

鈥淲e want people to know that 鈥� you can come to us, or you can come to the guidance counselors,鈥� Hernandez said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e all been through something.

鈥淲e just want people to know you鈥檙e not alone.鈥�