December 19, 2019 14 rustlernews.com
TIAH There is always hope
club, she’s turning her passion into a reality with a clear vision of what TIAH wants to accomplish. “I’ve been interested in TIAH since I heard about it,” she reflected. “[Mrs. Virts] asked me if I’d be interested in running it, and I just said yes because I was excited about it.” Ingalls admits to feeling in over her head in the beginning, but now she’s raring to push the club into the limelight. TIAH originally existed as a national organization and came to CMR three years ago. Previous to this year, it was directed by Gabrielle Pope and Kylie Giltcher. After their subsequent graduation, TIAH lacked all student representation before Ingalls stepped up and took on the task. Now, with a fresh start, TIAH is ready to take on the problems afflicting our community. “As most people know, Montana has a pretty high rate of
by Maggie Petersen, entertainment/opinion editor As students, we are encouraged to make a difference, to have big dreams, and Jayme Ingalls’ dream is one that applies to us all. “I’ve always been passionate about advocating for mental health,” Ingalls said. As president of TIAH (There Is Always Hope), C. M. Russell’s mental health “Schools are constantly working to ensure “I joined TIAH students are because I have “I saw TIAH provided with mental issues as a perfect the safest and “I joined as well as I have opportunity most effective TIAH because helped others to spread educational mental health is with theirs. I awareness about something that setting possible. thought if I mental health. A key part of this generation joined I could That’s something needs to focus that system help make I see as very is providing on, we see too mental health important, and I many people mental health be a bigger and hope by the end struggling with more important help, resources, of the year it is and education their health subject that more recognized and no one is to students everyone needs at CMR.” and staff.” there to listen.” to learn about.”
Taylor Willmarth
Kaileia Wendt
Jamela Munsinger
Nick Smith
suicide and mental health issues, and obviously CMR has not been immune to that. We’ve have multiple suicides at the school and several suicide attempts unfortunately, and we just are sick of seeing people we love feeling alone,” Ingalls said. With the sobering realities of our environment, taking action has been long overdue. Now, the only question is what to do about it. “We are planning on starting an anonymous text or email hotline where we can direct people to the help they need,” she said. Armed with an arsenal of ideas, availability is one of their biggest goals. However, if there’s any message Ingalls wants to push, it’s the club’s motto. “Everybody has bad days. I don’t feel there should be a stigma about it because it truly affects everybody.”
“When I was invited to join the program, “I personally I had no Idea joined TIAH what to expect. because of the TIAH has impact I saw opened up many it made on doors in my students in its understanding first year as a of mental club. I want health, and has to bring more introduced me awareness to to the stigma our school and associated community with talking and continue to about mental help others!” disorders.”
“I believe in this cause and in the people in “I have always been passionate this club with me. Mental about mental health needs to health. I grew be considered up with poor a vital part of mental health [and] having the student life. From bringing people around awareness to me that I did making help is what got me more available, through it and TIAH is fighting that’s what I to improve the want to do for lives of its peers.” other people.”
“I’m in TIAH because mental health is important in this day and age and so is identifying signs of mental illness in others. And I really like the people who are involved in the club with me.”
“TIAH came as a surprise to me. I originally hadn’t even known it existed, and that makes me sad. Mental health is ridiculously important. Many kids just need that little ounce of reassurance, that little spark of hope, and my goal is to give other teens exactly that.”
Amiya Williams
Jayme Ingalls
Ashton Blake
Reighanna Miller
Dawson Williams
Maggie Petersen
IDENTITY
