Sharing is caring

I’m going to take an opportunity to boast about my school a little bit.

Burchell High School is a place where I believe a lot of recovery takes place. Everyone has a different story to tell and some are a little mysterious. Burchell Peer Helpers decided to start revealing some of our stories at our Sept. 8 forum.

Every Wednesday students and staff hold an open forum in our “big room,” our central commons.

It’s a time for announcements, updates, or even activities like poetry slams and readers theater performances. This year, our principal, Dave Holmquist, has encouraged more student-led forums and it’s been quite successful so far. Many students have braved it up at the microphone, taking the lead in front of a couple hundred of their peers.

But nothing can really compare to the forum that the Peer Helpers led on the Sept. 8.

A panel of about 10 students sat in front of the audience and introduced themselves. Then one of our counselors, Michelle Overstreet, handed the microphone over to a girl who explained how she is 17 and on her second year of sobriety.

It caught everyone a little off guard. She shared her entire life story, from starting her bad habits with marijuana at the age of 6, to going to treatment, to becoming who she is now, clean and on her way to a high school diploma.

Another member of Peer Helpers read a speech about how she had been abused as a younger kid. She assured the crowd that there is help for those in that situation, and that they are not alone.

I think this is the strongest message. We are not alone. We just need to speak up.

Sharing can do a lot for you and others. Not only does it affect those who are listening, but it can help provide those sharing with closure to the demons of their past. Telling someone your story can give you and those who are listening the courage to not be afraid. It can also help people have the nerve to stand up and share their stories.

And the Peer Helpers did that.

Leading by example, they gave several other students from the audience the guts to tell their stories to their peers. I imagine there were still others in the crowd who now have more courage to get help and talk.

That’s the way Burchell is. We are a big community where everyone helps everyone get through life’s challenges. It’s more than just a school we have created here, it’s a support system and a family for many. Whether it is your best friend lending you a shoulder to cry on, or your favorite English or math teacher taking the time to actually listen while you vent, there is always someone who cares.

Ashlee Twiford is a student at Burchell High School and contributes to the schools section.