Pageant Promotes Prevention

Cody Cline, staff

Self-harm. Self-abuse. Injury to one’s self.

According to Healthyplace.com, approximately two million cases are reported annually in the U.S. and 90 percent of those cases were from young adults from ages 13 to 17.

Jr. Teen Miss Global Tourism 2016 Kelsie Cline (10) was once a part of that 90 percent. However, she has been using her title as a way to lower these numbers.

On Tuesday, Sept. 8, Cline visited Karyl Boldt’s seventh grade classroom and talked to them about bullying and self-harm prevention.

“My hope is to share my experiences and research with students,” Cline said. “I want them to get involved in the community, as well as in the school district. The purpose of my presentation was for students to learn, know, and teach other people these valuable coping skills.”

“It is important to teach students at this age about suicide prevention,” Cline said, “because middle school is when most of the self-harm starts.”

About 50 percent of those who engaged in self-harm begin around age 14 and carry it into their 20s, according to Healthyplace.com.

“I want to come back and do group activities with students who will give me 110 percent effort,” Cline said. “I hope that by coming and talking to these younger students, I can be a role model to help prevent these kids from going down the road that I did.”

According to Healthyplace.com, many of those who self-injure reported seeing how to do so from friends, older teens or online sources.

“I want to give these young students the ability to take something negative and turn it into something proactive and positive,” Cline said. “If [the students] take anything from my presentation, I want them to remember not to hold in their emotions and talk to someone, whether it be a friend, teacher, counselor or a suicide prevention hot line.”

Cline has paired with SBHS teacher Darla DeKraai’s 4th Block Independent Living class and the suicide prevention branch of the Helpline Center with plans to further spread awareness of bullying and self-harm prevention in the community, specifically targeting junior high-aged students.