The Bristol Press

Friday, March 22, 2013

BRISTOL — The United Way of West Central Connecticut’s Youth Board Forum will address the issue of teen suicide with a forum titled “How to Save a Life: Suicide Awareness.”

The forum, scheduled for Tuesday, will focus on the key points to averting suicide — talk, address, prevent. Students attending will also be incorporating Messages of Kindness to bring back to their schools in an effort to help those who are feeling overwhelmed.

The forum will feature speakers such as the Rev. Israel Rivera, from St. Joseph Church and St. Paul High School; Vernessa Elder, a psychologist from Bristol Central; the Rev. Chris Dion and Sarah Becker from Wheeler Clinic; and Maryann Pronovost, from Out of the Darkness.

This forum is sponsored by Comcast and the United Way of West Central Connecticut and is organized by the United Way Youth Board. Made up of high school students from the communities of Bristol, Burlington, Plainville and Plymouth, the United Way Youth Board is dedicated to mobilize, motivate and serve the community to make dreams a reality.

This will be held Tuesday from 5:30 to 8:15 p.m. at Nuchies Restaurant, 164 Central St., Forestville.

Students and advisers from these six area high schools: Bristol Eastern High School, Bristol Central High School, Lewis Mills High School, Plainville High School, St. Paul Catholic High School and Terryville High School will attend.

The United Way Youth Board was established in the fall of 1998, spearheaded by United Way board member Dr. Max Riley. The group consists of students and faculty advisers from each of our six area schools and meets monthly to discuss the social and human service needs of their communities. The initial objective of the Youth Board was to assess the issues that affect our young community, prioritize the projects they should undertake and formulate a plan to accomplish their goals and make the greatest impact.

Projects completed to date include participation in the annual Postal Food Drive in Bristol, painting at St. Vincent DePaul Society, participation in the Holiday Children’s Parade, organization of their own Personal Care Drive, participation in last spring’s Day of Caring and annual Youth Forums on topics such as substance abuse, peer pressure, youth violence and cruelty, decision-making, transitions from middle school to high school and reckless teen driving.