The S.A.V.E club is a new organization on campus that was created in the fall of 2023 to help and support students who are struggling with their mental health. This club was created to provide different options to allow students to cope with the stress of school and their daily lives.
The S.A.V.E club has been in operation since about a month into this current school year, but it was a long and complicated process to get set up. Junior and S.A.V.E club founder Santiago Day said, “I thought this was a pressing issue and needed to be done, so we decided to do it on our own and it has been going great.” He continued, “I wanted to start this club because, at my high school, suicide awareness and mental health awareness was a big priority. Last year at an SGA debate, the candidates were asked about what they would do for mental health awareness and all of the answers were very vague, so I decided to start the club.”
The S.A.V.E acronym stands for a supportive community, awareness campaigns, vulnerability encouragement, and empowering resources. For the founder, it means that “these are the most important things for preventing suicide. We need to make sure people know that it is okay to feel the way that they are feeling but that it is never the best option to do something permanent. We aim to make sure students know they have other options and are a part of a supportive nonjudgmental community.”
The S.A.V.E club members have many ideas for events and awareness around campus. Day said, “Right now we are working to follow the goals set out by the club that represent each of the letters in our title and fulfill the promises we gave to ourselves and the community. We plan to join the community over the holidays as people will not be able to go home. We want people to feel comfortable in their community and be able to step out of their comfort zones. However, we are only just now getting started. We will improve our outreach and events as we move forward.”
For any questions about resources or how to join the S.A.V.E club, you can contact the president at [email protected] or visit Instagram at saveclub.SHC.
