SUICIDE SILENCE SHATTERED

Patty Ricciuti hoped her son's death eventually might spur positive changes.

It already has.

In the most tragic story of the year, Ricciuti's son was one of three
teenage boys who took his own life this fall. It launched the normally
silent matter into the headlines.

It also triggered some heart-warming and productive responses by students
who didn't want to see another friend lose his life.

Jason Ricciuti, a 15-year-old Rutland Senior Secondary student, killed
himself Nov. 24, while in Surrey for a hockey tournament.

Nine days later, a 16-year-old Kelowna Senior Secondary student ended his life.

Oct. 1, a 13-year-old boy at Const. Neil Bruce Middle School died by suicide.

Teens make up about seven per cent of suicide statistics, translating to
about one of 17 suicides a year in Kelowna.

The three deaths in just two months, were shocking.

The school district has come under fire for its policy of sending kids home
after being suspended for a drug infraction, which happened to the student
from Const. Neil Bruce.

And, the minor hockey association is under the microscope for a similar
policy of suspensions for drugs, which affected Ricciuti.

Both boys were alone after their suspensions when they took their own lives.

For the students' part, many felt it was time to reach out and do something
to help their peers.

One such student was Brooklyn Greenlay, 17, of KSS, who decided to go
public with her story about her suicide attempt in May.

"It's time to talk about it," she said.

After her story appeared in The Daily Courier Dec. 8, she was inundated
with words of support. Her goal was to remove the hushed shroud and get the
issue of suicide in the open.

"Everyone was trying to keep it quiet. I didn't think it was right," she said.

"I want to help people," she said. "Maybe I can speak at schools. If there
is a silver lining for me, maybe that's it."

KSS students have started setting up a peer counselling program. Other
district high schools have similar programs in which trained Grade 11-12
students are available to talk to any student who needs an ear or support.

At Mount Boucherie Secondary, peer counsellors noted many more students
were approaching them after the suicides, even though none of the students
who died was from that school.

"It didn't hit us as close," said MBS peer counsellor Cole Eagland, "but it
really sends a message.

"Everybody knows somebody. They're upset, so they want to talk," the Grade
12 student said,

At KSS, students are also raising money for the youth crisis line being set
up by the Kelowna Community Resources.

The idea behind all this is that teens are more likely to talk to their
peers than adults. It might be the first step for teens who are potentially
suicidal to get help.

Christina MacMaster, program co-ordinator for KCR, said she's still waiting
for more funding for the teen crisis line, but expects to start training
teen counsellors at the end of January.

She's had strong interest from students keen on taking part and hopes to
have 20 working the lines from 3:30-10:30 p.m., seven days a week.

"Youth have said they are not comfortable calling the regular crisis line,
because they're not talking to peers," said MacMaster.

"Maybe if they phone, we can get them talking before they do anything
drastic," she said.

In the schools, a suicide-prevention program, formerly under the auspices
of the Red Cross, is part of career and personal planning studies. That
will continue, although under a different umbrella.

Colleen Owens, a youth-suicide prevention worker, delivers a resiliency
program, a pilot project in which older students work with younger ones
through KCR. It's not specifically for suicide prevention, but helps teens
boost their self-esteem and learn anger management and conflict resolution.

She points out that teens considering suicide don't often do so on the spur
of the moment.

"Some are impulsive," she said, "but usually, there are a pile of factors
involved.

"It may be divorce, or a large loss of a relative or friend. It might be
the youth's own perfection ideas, a negative sense of self or depression,"
Owens said.

"Then, there's the one final straw that breaks the camel's back," she said.

While training peers to look out for each other is important, parents are
encouraged to talk to their children and take a closer look at them.

To help, Owens leads a parent and caregiver workshop once a month to give
people strategies to help teens who are at risk of suicide. Call KCR at
763-8058.

Until the teen line is set up, the crisis line number is 763-9191. While
training peers to look out for each other is important, parents are
encouraged to talk to their children and take a closer look at them.

To help, Owens leads a parent and caregiver workshop once a month to give
people strategies to help teens who are at risk of suicide. Call KCR at
763-8058.

Until the teen line is set up, the crisis line number is 763-9191.