S.A.D.D. brings message of hope, encouragement to Moorhead students

Post date: Feb 28, 2017 8:58:33 PM

Lonna Barwary

Reporter

S.A.D.D. is a Moorhead High club that stands against bullying, suicide prevention and abusive relations. Lydia Shaia, a junior at Moorhead High, is a proud member of S.A.D.D. Shaia wanted to make a change in the school and the community and decided that S.A.D.D. was a great avenue. “I enjoy every moment because you get to witness different people benefit from the club everyday” says Shaia. S.A.D.D. stands for Students Against Destructive Decisions. It is open to students of any grade from freshman to seniors. Shaia truly has great confidence into the fact that people can change with just a push of encouragement.

S.A.D.D. takes annual trips to Horizon Middle school in Moorhead and gives influential speeches and stories of any type of life situations they have been through. They present helpful tips such as “how to prevent bullying” and try to interact with the students using communication. Alonzo Cruz, a junior at MHS, states that “it's something that's very enjoyable, that helps people out.” Flashmobs are another activity the members of S.A.D.D. participate in, which also occurs at the middle school. “The flash mobs are something we can really look forward to because of all the fun you experience doing it,” says Shaia. But most importantly, they take trips there to teach the students to love themselves and to be kind to one another. Many S.A.D.D. members believe that more people need to be involved and be well aware of what S.A.D.D. actually stands for.

Many students think of S.A.D.D. as a club set for people who have only been through hard times and have tried to commit self harm. But Deion Larry, an MHS junior and one of the leaders of S.A.D.D., strongly stands against that theory. “S.A.D.D. is educating other students on prevalent issues in today's society,” says Larry. It is for anyone with any or few life problems. Emily Mayry, a senior at MHS, became a S.A.D.D. leader and joined this club for the sole purpose of having something positive and healthy in her life. It's a place where voices are heard and opinions are free. So as students see, S.A.D.D. is more than what you might think, and if you're looking to make an change and create new friends, S.A.D.D. is accepting to everyone.