On April 10, ten Norwood High School students attended the Norfolk District Attorney’s Peer Leadership Conference. The District Attorney’s office provides funding to local programs that try to help and serve the commonwealth. Conversations and workshops were held to inform students on the dangers of technology, mental health awareness, and substance abuse.
The Norfolk District elected Michael W. Morrissey as attorney in 2010. Prior to this position, he served as a State Senator and in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. He has continued to stay involved in the students’ ability to share the importance of issues that are rising.
Norwood chose a group of students ranging from freshmen in high school to seniors. They have been in attendance at one virtual meeting a month, where they further discussed these matters of drunk driving, social media use, and took part in adult seminars. These events allowed the students to speak directly with individuals who have struggled. They have also been working on an acknowledgement video on topics that they believe most teens should be focused on. They met during their study block to get this project published for the town of Norwood.
“They brought in speakers that talked about the dangers of cell phone and internet use so we could guide others to use them safely and responsibly, and another on how to respond with empathy to people when they talk to us,” said freshman Eleanor Kidd.
“For the future, I hope the organization motivates students from our community to join together and really help struggling teens,” said sophomore Seanne Fernandes.
She hopes for Norwood to become a community where students can reach out to one another and look to neighbors to help them when in times of need.
Fernandes said, “There are a lot of struggling teens who are ashamed of their mental health challenges, for example, and I really hope that with the help of leadership and awareness programs like this one, we can break the stigma around such topics and actually establish help and healing.”
