The Sage Informer

Every year, Monticello High School has a Lifesavers Retreat for all of their new members. At the retreat, they learn about the risks of suicide and substance abuse. They also do different team bonding activities and talk in smaller groups about their experiences with themselves or with someone they know.

Senior leader Brady Ball was a returning member at the retreat and commented on how he has been applying the retreat to his life and what more he has learned, saying, “I’ve definitely been applying everything that I learned from first time I went to this time going as a senior. I’ve been using the skills and ideas that we were taught in order to make everything easier and more understandable for the newer Lifesavers members. I think that now that I’ve been a second time, I learned more about listening and engaging in other people’s stories and ideas to make them feel included.”

Sophomore Emily Osborne, a first year member of LifeSavers, said, “The most impactful part of the lifesaver retreat was definitely the cry circle. I learned so much about people I have never talked to and how much they are going through. It also helped me realize that we can’t judge someone for who they are because you never know what is happening on the inside, and how that will impact them.” 

Osborne also commented, “I learned so much about suicide that I never knew. We had guest speakers tell us about their attempts or someone close to them that did it.

This retreat helps new members understand the risk of suicide and substance use, and helps educate them on how to talk to someone who has suicidal thoughts and how they can help them. Overall, the retreat is very impactful to all members, and it can help them be approachable to students at MHS when they need someone to talk to. 

Brooklyn Wierman, Staff Writer

wiebr28@sages.us