To the editor:

The students, parents and staff of South Junior High School experienced a tragedy this winter with the death of one of their much-loved students. The death of a young person is such a traumatic experience. The healing process can be very slow.

In spite of the pain of the loss, South staff and parents assisted a group of seven close friends of the young man who died. Those friends designed a project to help others in this community. The students sold treats and gathered donations. They used this money to buy supplies for a cook-out before a benefit basketball game on April 17, with South staff playing against (and beating) a team from the radio station Z 95.7. As a result of the students’ efforts, they were able to make a donation of $650 to Headquarters Counseling Center, to support our work with teens: our crisis hot line and our suicide prevention education.

The students deserve great praise for their efforts in honor of their friend. South staff and parents are to be commended for helping the students carry out such a wonderful project. We truly feel honored to receive this donation, resulting from the love and hard work of these young men and women. We also hope that their efforts will help more teens feel comfortable reaching out — to our center or to some other safe and caring adult.

Marcia Epstein,

director,

Headquarters Counseling Center