Thirty-eight Wayland High School students from the PALs program attended the 27th annual PALs conference at Gun Lake Community Church March 23 to learn more about mental health issues and the effects of childhood trauma.
Peer Assistant Listeners is a substance abuse and suicide prevention program provided collaboratively by the local school districts and Allegan County Community Mental Health Services. The conference is planned by a committee of PALs from the Allegan, Hopkins, Plainwell, and Wayland high schools.
The day provided PALs a chance to come together to participate in team building activities, share their skills and experiences, and learn new information to use for their continued work with students in their schools.
The planning committee was interested to learn and provide a growing opportunity around Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). This year the conference looked different as they did not have a keynote speaker but showed the documentary Paper Tigers.
“While it is one of the highest honors you can receive by being selected to be in the PALs program (done through peer nominations, application and interviews), it is a privilege and it comes with great responsibility,” a spokesperson said. “Every PAL must go through two trimesters of rigorous training in all aspects of social life today. Each PAL has the duty of being a leader in our schools, making a better learning environment for everyone, and helping any student when problems may arise.
“While each PAL has a big responsibility in school, they are also expected to be leaders out of school as well. They are expected to be a positive role model, contribute to their community, and lead a healthy life-style, which includes being drug and alcohol free.”
PALs advisors are Andrea Brown, WHS, and Nikki Barth, ACCMH.
