Armed with shovels, yellow tulip bulbs, and big smiles, Hope Squad student ambassadors from Walworth Jt. School District #1 began planting a community hope garden on Oct. 6 so that, come spring, a beautiful, W-shaped garden will bloom.
“We look forward to our new garden serving as a beacon of hope for years to come,” says Walworth Jt. School District #1 administrator Phill Klamm.
Throughout October, students from Walworth County Hope Squads have been planting hope gardens of yellow tulips. The gardens serve as symbols of courage, community, and the importance of ending the stigma surrounding mental health.
Walworth County Department of Health and Human Services launched the Hope Squad youth suicide-prevention initiative in November of 2021. The school-based, peer-to-peer suicide prevention program for young children and adolescents is part of a community-wide effort to support school-aged children’s mental health and well-being.
Walworth County personnel thanked Mary and Steve O’Connor, Tony and Helen Wember, Mike Essman, and Meg Hafer, whose generous donations made the purchase of the yellow tulip bulbs possible.
Walworth County currently has 20 Hope Squads and continues to look for opportunities to expand its reach. Learn more about Hope Squad’s mission at: https://www.co.walworth.wi.us/995/Hope-Squad
(Reposted with permission from Walworth County Government.)