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Suicide Prevention Month

WRITTEN BY ALEXXUS HART
AUGUST 26, 2015

There’s a difference between feeling down and being depressed. Just because you have a bad day doesn’t mean you have a bad life. There’s a point where some people want to give up and feel as if there’s nothing else you can do, but there’s always something you can do. It can be hard and uncomfortable talking about these changes in life but there are ways to get help, find strength and manage to stay strong during tough times. Next month is Suicide Prevention Month.

Image by Alexxus Hart

Image by Alexxus Hart

The 1st Suicide Prevention Day was declared September 10th, 2003 by The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP). This was developed so everyone in the community and around the world could come together to focus attention on the costs of suicidal behaviours. The main focus of this day is to promote a better understanding about suicide and highlight the effective activities to prevent it. On this day some people light a candle near a window at 8 PM to show their support for suicide prevention, to remember a lost loved one, and for the survivors of suicide.

According to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Every year, millions of people are directly affected by the more than 37,000 suicides. Hundreds of thousands of these suicide attempts are made by friends or loved ones which affects everyone. Yet, suicide is preventable.

School Psychologist, Mrs. Coyle Image by Emma Hoernke

Support staff, such as the school psychologist, school social worker, guidance counselors, and school nurse are well trained in mental health. Additionally, Ms. Baker, Mr. Miller, Mr. Elhadji,, Mr. Synhorst, Mr. DePerry, Mr. Silva, and Mrs. Moore have gone through a special training to help identify students who may be in crisis and how to assist. The school psychologist, Mrs. Coyle, believes that if you suspect that a classmate may be suicidal or engaging in self-harm behaviors, it is important to ACT.

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Silva wants students to know that “there is help out there. There are other people in this world that feel this way at different times in their lives...” He encourages students to talk to an adult who will listen.

ACT stands for Acknowledge, Care, and Tell. 

• You should acknowledge the person’s feelings rather than minimize them. For example, you may say, 
  

                  - “I’m sorry to hear about this. It sounds really hard.” 

• Show care and concern for the student by taking the next step. You may say, 
  

• “I’m worried about you. I don’t want anything bad to happen to you or for you to be hurt.” 
  

• When talking to the student make sure they know that you are there for them and that you will help them seek out help. One thing to say is :
  

• “Let’s go talk with the teacher together.”
  

Isaiah Peterson, a sophomore, is one of many participating in The Out of the Darkness Walk at Humboldt park on  October 4, 2015 at 11AM. Isaiah is trying to build a team of friends and family to be part of the walk. If you can’t participate, you can always donate money to his team at the link provided: (http://afsp.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.donate&eventID=3350) Isaiah want’s to participate in this walk because he believes that suicide is a big issue that we face in today’s society. He also wants people who have thought or attempted suicide to know there are people out there that care.

Is it possible for  Reagan to have their own team represented by Isaiah in this years 2015 Out of The Darkness Walk? Get out there or donate money to show those struggling that there are people who care about them, they aren’t alone and that there’s hope. There’s hope for everyone, don’t let anyone’s story end. For free and confidential help, call 1-800-273 TALK (Suicide Prevention Lifeline) or Text 741741 (Crisis Text Line).

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Tips for Kicking the School Slump

WRITTEN BY BASHIR ADEN
AUGUST 26, 2015

Getting up at 6am, writing essays, and taking tests is a difficult thing to adjust to. Especially if you just had a 3 month break of sitting in your house watching Netflix. However, that is no reason that you can make this year your best academic year yet. Here are 5 tips to help you get back into the groove and have a successful school year.

1.Get a calendar

A common problem amongst students is an unorganized calendar. You have so many dates that you need to remember. From homework to club meetings, it is difficult to remember all these dates.  You won’t believe how much getting and using a calendar or planner helps you organize your life

2.Prioritize your classes

Not every class is same. Everyone has that one class where they are absolutely crushing it, and everyone has that one class that makes the vein in their forehead come out. Prioritizing your classes can help you understand what class you should put more of your attention to. Not every class is that easy A, and watching your grade in that class can help you get that A.

3.Watch your grades

It is so easy to slip up at the beginning of the year and regret it later on. You’re tired and are having paying attention to the teacher that talks for 85 minutes. If you want to succeed this year, you’ll want to keep track of your grades at the beginning of the year, because that is the time where many students mess up.

Image above by Valerie Mecha.

Image below by Raina Garcia

4.Get use to waking up early

During the summer, we get to sleep in everyday and sleep as late as we want. However, it is difficult to get back to the strict sleeping schedule of the school year. Waking up at 6 in the morning is not something you did during the summer, but during the school year is important. That is because if you go to bed earlier and get 8 hours of sleep, you won’t be tired during your classes. Being refreshed during your classes can go a long way with getting an A in the class.


5.Get organized

It’s the classic tip for students ; get organized. It can be proven that the student  that writes all their homework in their planner does better than the kid who tries to remember everything in their head. Having a planner and organizing everything from a certain class can help you when you're studying for the class.

Bleeding Blue for Reagan

Reagan's Blood Drive

Come one, come all, to the Reagan blood drive 2015! Well, not exactly. Only those of us who are eligible, of course.

Students who are able to donate blood must:

• be at least 17 years of age
  
  
• weigh at least 110 lbs
  
  
• be in good overall health
  
  
• be feeling well

The RRHS blood drive, sponsored by the Red Cross, will be on September 24, and it will go from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. What’s the point of donating blood? Isn’t it easier to just...not? Well, donating blood, if you’re eligible, is important for the reason that some folks out there don’t have as good of blood as the rest of us! Donating blood can help save lives. The need for a healthy and reliable blood supply all over the world doesn’t just disappear! It is constant. Wouldn't it feel good knowing you helped save a life?

WRITTEN BY EVA SZOCIK
AUGUST 27, 2015

Meet the Teach

WRITTEN BY CLAUDIA SPICE
AUGUST 26, 2016

How-to-CAS Hours

WRITTEN BY BASHIR ADEN
AUGUST 26, 2015

Oh, no! You’re a new IB student and you need to complete 150 CAS hours to get your diploma, but you don’t know anything about what CAS is or how it works. Good news: there’s no need to worry! Fortunately, it’s actually quite simple and you have 18 months to get ‘er done.

CAS stands for Creativity, Activity, and Service; basically, you have to have a certain share of hours in each of these three sections. It is required by IB and created so that you have practice displaying initiative, demonstrating perseverance, and developing skills such as collaboration, problem solving and decision making. It is also entails learning through “experiential education”, in addition to a classroom setting.

Creativity is an outlet for a student to show interest in something creative and imaginative, this includes arts (painting, music, literature, dance, etc.) and other experiences that involve creative thinking. Activity includes physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle while complementing academic work elsewhere in the Diploma Programme; this includes, but is not limited to, sports or clubs. Service is any type of volunteer work; for example, volunteering at a local senior center or working at a children’s hospital. It must be an unpaid voluntary exchange that yields a learning benefit for the student.

For the IB Full Diploma it is required to have at least 150 CAS hours. Remember, this is not meant to stress you out. IB wants you to learn through “experiential education”. Basically, this means learning through experience and participation. The CAS hour system is supposed to counterbalance the academic pressures of the Diploma Programme. It is an opportunity for students to realize their passion and know what they want to do in life.

Infographic above created by Marc Cruz

Class of 2016 Yearbook Photos

WRITTEN BY ALEXXUS HART
AUGUST 26, 2015

As senior year of high school begins, it's a good idea to start thinking about senior yearbook photos. After all, students will soon be competing with the rest of the seniors from other high schools to find professional photographers and that perfect spot to take pictures. The time is near, seniors; yearbook photos need to be submitted by October 1.

Whether the background is going to be beautiful flowery fields or an edgy urban setting, more options are given by going with an outdoor venue rather than an indoor one. Some possible places that photos could be taken include: the park, lake,  downtown, the botanical gardens, the Seven Bridges Trail at Grant Park, or even a forest. No matter what, pick a comfortable location.

There are also professional photographers and companies here in the area that take senior pictures.

Link to Bill Sargent's Portfolio & Website

Donna D'Amico Photography is a company located in Hales Corners that takes black & white, environmental, and natural light photos. The senior portrait packet starts at $50. All packages include a one-hour personalized session at the location of choice and unlimited clothing changes. To view their work or to call to ask questions about the prices and other information, you can go to: http://www.donnadamicophotography.com/

Link to JCPenny's Portrait Backgrounds

Bill Sargent is a professional photographer in West Allis. His most common styles of portraits are: candid, illustrative, natural light, traditional, and urban. To view his work or to call for more information about his work, visit: http://www.photoslimited.net/

Link to Donna D'Amico Photography's Portfolio

Another place to go to would be JCPenny. JCP portraits offer many different coupons and deals for pictures at a reasonable price. They take pictures on site in front of a colored background. The photographer will suggest the best background that goes with the outfit, but it's your overall choice.

To view their backgrounds, go to: http://www.jcpportraits.com/preparing-your-sitting/backgrounds

When developing just the right look for pictures, stick to what feels comfortable for hair and makeup. Don't try anything new unless you practice in advance to make sure it looks right. When changing clothes, make sure to that patterns and prints are avoided, along with bare shoulders and tanks, according to JCPenny. Finally, make sure that the complete look isn't overwhelming but has an equal balance. Just have fun with it, and make memories that are ones to remember. The idea is to show your personality and dress to impress.

College Fair is Coming!

WRITTEN BY MARC CRUZ
AUGUST 26, 2015

Seniors: How is preparing for college going?

WRITTEN BY KRISTEN LEER
AUGUST 26, 2015

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