"Hear My Voice: Youth Leadership at FIRST" (FIRST Inspire Blog)
July 22, 2019
Written by Frank Merrick
Martha Dickey is the Stewardship Manager in the FIRST Development Department. The Development Department is the group within FIRST that works hard to ensure we have the sponsorships we need to continue meeting our mission. Martha and the rest of the Development group are the kind of behind-the-scenes folks our teams are unlikely ever to meet, or even hear about. But their work is critical in powering the FIRST engine in delivering life-changing programs to thousands of young people.
On September 14th, Jason, Martha’s 19-year-old son, took his own life. The full story is here. The article is difficult to read because it is so packed with emotion. Personally, I struggled through the text to the end, but scrolled back up to the top to look through the photos, and then my tears flowed. But I recommend this article to everyone, even though it’s uncomfortable. This topic is so important.
When FIRST Robotics Competition hears of the death of a team member, we send a letter of condolence, signed by me and Don Bossi, President of FIRST. It’s hard to sign any condolence letter, but when we need to sign one for a student who has taken his or her own life, it’s especially painful. It’s just so tragic.
The good news is that there are resources available to help prevent these tragedies. If you are struggling with thoughts of killing yourself, please reach out. I guarantee you that while it may not seem so, there are people in your life that love you. And the world will be worse off without you around.
If you are in the United States, and you need someone to talk to, call 1-800-273-8255. En Espanol, 1-888-628-9454. If you prefer to chat online rather than speak, the website National Suicide Prevention Lifeline has a chat function you may use. You can even just text TALK to 741741 to start a conversation. The ‘help yourself’ section of the website includes information on creating a safety plan that can help you if you are having suicidal thoughts.
Another wonderful resource is the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Their website has a wealth of resources you can use to help yourself or help others.
In Canada, the number to call is 1-833-456-4566. Their website also has a chat function.
If you live outside the United States or Canada, see this website to find help.
If you have concerns about someone else in your life having thoughts of suicide, this website has resources for you. Click on the ‘resources’ tab to find them. Especially helpful is the list of warning signs to clue you in there may be a problem.
Some of you may wonder why we decided to blog on this topic. As a youth-serving organization, we at FIRST know how hard the teenage years can be, and we meet many parents and students whose lives are scarred by suicide, suicide attempts, or thoughts of suicide. The FIRST community is a family. This is one of the things that makes us so much more than just a robotics competition. We want to be there for each other, and we want you to know there are resources available to help. Please never give up, never abandon hope---please reach out to somebody---anybody—if you need help or support. Your life is worth at least a phone call, a chat, or a text.
Frank