After daughter’s suicide, mom raises awareness about bullying

Sitting at her daughter's favorite Henderson park, Discovery Park, Helen grasps the two tools that have helped her grieve this past year -- a Bible and a planner detailing meetings with school officials.

Helen's daughter committed suicide in September 2010 because of bullying. She wishes to keep her last name and her daughter's name private.

Helen was upset to find out through her daughter's diary and social media pages that she had been bullied.

"I was shocked," Helen said. "She never talked to me about it. She resorted to her computer as her outlet, and that upset me."

Helen grew more frustrated when she reached out to police, who wouldn't investigate the death because it was ruled a suicide, Helen said.

"In their eyes, it was self-inflicted," Helen said.

Instead , Helen focused her energy on raising awareness about suicide and bullying in schools .

"Those two topics are interconnected," Helen said.

Helen started by emailing, calling and meeting as many school administrators and officials as she could .

In January, she set up an event at Foothill High School, her daughter's school. Only 10 people showed up, Helen said.

"I was really disappointed," Helen said.

In April, she connected with members of the Clark County School Board, who helped her set up meetings with Superintendent Dwight Jones. That helped get her foot in the door at schools willing to hear her message.

Helen discovered two schools she believes are at the forefront of anti-bullying campaigns: Green Valley High School and Miller Middle School .

"I am really proud of what they are doing, and they need to be commended," Helen said.

Helen spoke to students at Green Valley in October. Students asked for ideas to promote anti-bullying awareness.

She said the school has developed an anti-bullying student organization and is trying to put on a play about bullying.

"It started last year when the student body president, Taylor Ashton, started a committee," said Jackie Carducci, the assistant principal of Green Valley High School.

Carducci said the committee focused on preventing bullying.

This year, the committee evolved into Gator Haven, which is spreading more awareness with curriculum and a student play called "Weight of Words," which is slated to come out in December to educate students about bullying.

Carducci said having Helen available to share her story helps make the message more powerful.

"I want her to come in and talk to parents," Carducci said.

Helen said Miller Middle School has been involved in anti-bullying efforts for several years. On the school's website , schools.ccsd.net/miller/index.htm, students can report bullying and cyberbullying through the school's "No Place for Hate" mentality.

Both schools have put up posters that talk about bullying. Helen thinks more schools should do so to inform students of the consequences of bullying and to create a zero-tolerance mentality.

"At businesses, you have to put up posters for employee rights," Helen said. "Why shouldn't schools do the same thing, informing students about state laws?"

Helen also encourages schools to take an active stance on suicide prevention.

"The topic has become taboo," Helen said. "Kids are dying too quickly, so we need to act fast to address the problem."

Helen said she has noticed, and followed up with the coroner's office to confirm, that there have been seven suicides by Clark County students this year.

"One is too many," she said .

Helen thinks the school district should offer students a website where they could file reports.

"Not just report suicide attempts," Helen said, "but any type of danger to the school."

This would include bullying or if students overhear another student talking about bringing a gun.

Helen also wants to develop a foundation that focuses on bullying and suicide awareness. The foundation would help children pay for after-school activities.

"Not all students are fortunate enough to be able to afford them," Helen said. "The thought is those activities could act as an outlet for the students."

Her daughter's death has changed her outlook on how to deal with children.

Helen said most parents believe that once children reach a certain age, they don't need as much monitoring because they are more self-sufficient. She once felt the same way but now believes in more monitoring of children's cellphones and social media sites.

"I was fooled that there was no danger in technology," Helen said. "But look at me. I lost a child."

Even though her work helps her heal, Helen said her faith has gotten her family through the year .

"Without it, I probably would still be in pieces right now," Helen said.

Helen doesn't like to discuss how her daughter died .

"Mentioning the method of suicide increases the chances of other kids mimicking," Helen said.

What she focuses on isn't the way her daughter died but the crusade she has embarked on because of her daughter.

"I think I was put on this crusade by default," Helen said. "I have been given a full-time job. I am aggressive on this crusade because of the children."

Contact Henderson/Anthem View reporter Michael Lyle at mlyle@viewnews.com or 387-5201.