The informational presentation was part of national “Say Something” week designed to encourage school students to be alert and share information about troubled classmates.
Teens being vigilant is key, said Hockely, who spoke to more than 1,200 Mason freshman students in the Warren County school’s auditorium and to all other of the high school’s grades via a simultaneous video broadcast to classrooms.
The nationally known advocate against school violence was in our region during the same day when two high school students - from school systems in the adjacent Butler County - charged with making gun threats at their schools.
Hockley, who travels speaking to schools, said students are the key to helping make schools safer from outside attacks and those that may involve bullying and violence within initiated inside school walls.
Hockley spoke of her 6-year-old boy, who was among those killed in 2012 at the Newtown, Connecticut school and said “after the shooting … our mission is simple, we don’t want any other parents to experience this loss.”
La Shunda Sugg, a local official with Sandy Hook Promise and a licensed counselor, then walked the student audience through scenarios and pointed out some of the warning signs they should look for and what steps should be taken.
“Look for significant changes and an example of this is if they (classmate) are withdrawing from others,” Sugg said. “Perhaps you know someone who used to be part of the crowd and they were outgoing and engaging, then you notice not so much anymore.”
Other signs can include: giving away possessions, drastic changes in personality and how they look, drug abuse and boasting about having access to weapons, said Sugg.
If students suspect a classmate my soon injury themselves or others, they should call 911, she said.
If the situation appears to be one of a less immediate threat, Sugg told students to seek out a trusted adult to confide in, whether it be their parents or a school staffer or someone else.
“Take it seriously,” Sugg said. “Oftentimes (students) are doing it for attention. The question is: What are they drawing attention to? And more times than not, they are drawing attention to their pain.”
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