December 14, 2015, is the day my life changed forever.

 High school, to the majority, is

never described as simple.  Despite academic pressures, teens are constantly faced
with social expectations and the desire to feel loved and accepted.  We try to balance
everything in our life while maintaining a spotless reputation, all the while, trying to
make it look easy.
 I was never one to purposely be mean or hateful, but try to care for those in my friend
group.  Although this was true, as pressures closed in on me, I never went out of my
way to be extremely positive.  Until that day, I thought I could decipher and make sense
of what and how my friends were doing.  Now I realize that I could not.  December 14,
2015, changed everything, Cassidy Hess took her own life.
Cassidy was portrayed as a ray of sunshine.  Always laughing, always smiling. On that
day, we realized that something in our community was broken.  People we thought we
knew the best were silently struggling and hurting.  We realized that something had to
be done to bring awareness to the darkness that existed within our community.
Since that day, I have made a commitment to be intentional about spreading love and
kindness to our community.  I realized that not everyone is doing “okay” although they
may appear to be.  Small acts of kindness can make or break someone’s day.  I also
became more aware that my actions affect others.  Although I understand this will not
be an immediate change, I plan to spread positivity and awareness throughout my
school, my community and wherever I may go.  I have begun to do this with the help of
friends and the Hess family.  The summer following Cassidy’s passing, her Mom called
a handful of Cassidy’s closest friends over to discuss ways we can bring awareness to
this silent darkness and make a difference in the lives of others.  She began to explain
how something must be done about the recent suicides.  Although this was not common
in our area, Cassidy was one of four suicides in less than two months.  Mrs. Kim,
Cassidy’s Mom, passionately explained how we must break the silence.  Previously,
suicides were never talked about and seemed to be covered up, and this was
something that she felt needed to change.  She wanted Cassidy’s story to be told and
for it to make a difference.  As we discussed, she gave us a piece of poster board and
asked us to write down any ideas we had that could make a difference.  That meeting
started a movement.
My goal is to passionately make this more than just a group of young teens in a high
school trying to make a change. As pressures continue to rise for students everywhere,
I plan to encourage many that brighter days are ahead.  I want those hurting to know
that there is an answer and solution to every problem, that does not involve ending their
life.  I want them to know there is always someone who will listen and help. My desire is
to spread Cassidy’s motto everywhere I go.  “You’re doing better than you think you are
and God’s doing more than you think He is.”