“We want everyone to be heard and everyone to feel accepted,” VP Liaison Hayse Doise said. “We hope to never have to go through the same tragedy again and wish this horrible reality on no one.”

Suicidal thoughts can be a struggle for anyone, especially teenagers. During a time of confusion and stress, there is a need for support, and Cavs Joined For Hope’s (CJH) mission is just that. 

“When the club was founded, Maddie Doyes, Mary Kate, Mya Fincher, and Hailey Beiser started a revival here at College Park to end teen suicide,” Co-President Madi Rosales said. “It is important that students have trusted groups or people they know they can go to for help or even when they just want to talk. We are determined to make a difference in both our school and community.”

With the death of a junior cheerleader, Cassidy Hess in 2015, the Cavs Joined for Hope club was founded in hopes of helping those with suicidal thoughts. 

“Cassidy Hess, who was a very positive influence on College Park High School, took her own life her junior year,” VP Fundraiser Sara Landry said. “Her friends and family made it their goal to do everything they could to not let anyone feel what Cassidy was feeling or what they were feeling.”

According to a 2019 PBS study, suicide is the “second leading cause of death among young Americans ages 15-24.” The leading factor in this is the worries high school brings. 

“Our whole goal is to stop teen suicide, and being that high school is a tough time where people go through changes that take a large toll on them, CJH reminds everyone that even when you feel you have no one, you have someone,” Landry said. 

Since it can be more comfortable talking with peers, CJH opens its doors every 1st Wednesday in room 1300 (LGI) to anyone at College Park who needs someone to lean on. 

“The purpose for Cavs Joined For Hope is to spread awareness about teen suicide and how to prevent it,” Co-President Cara Bordovsky said. “We try to cater to all different friend groups at College Park, so everyone can feel welcome and needed. Our end goal is to reach out to as many teens as we can to be a friend and assure them that they are loved.”