A Las Vegas teenager is on a mission to bring awareness to an important issue many of us struggle with, mental health.
Dariene, a high school junior leads a school program called Hope Squad, a local version of a national organization aiming to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health conversations.
According to the CDC, around 20% of teens in the United States have contemplated suicide. Although the issue is prevalent, open conversations about it are rare.
"I feel although I hear it here and there someplaces, I mostly hear it within like whisper conversations, and it's typically hidden behind certain words or phrases," Dariene shared.
Members of the Hope Squad are trained to watch for at-risk students, identify warning signs, and provide support to their peers. They also host student body events to help spread awareness.
The program is is run by two advisors, school counselor Zoey Thomas and social worker Stephanie Watman.
"She just really has taken this to heart," Thomas said." I think it's also huge because she takes ownership because she's been there, so she can relate to these kids like she gets it and understand what people are going through."
After graduating high school, Dariene plans to continue the work she's started. "I wanna find a career that has something to do with mental health or psychology," shares Dariene.
More than a dozen schools in Clark County School District have launched a Hope Squad.