Tuesday, December 5, 2023
He died training for LA teen crisis hotline. His parents want all to know the number Sonja Sharp Los Angeles Times
“Kids tell other kids what they’re gonna do,” Lieberman said. This is the animating principle behind Teen Line, which connects children and adolescents in extremis with LOS ANGELES trained volunteers from Los -- Among the first things Angeles high schools. 16-year-old Donald “Trey” It’s also what drew Brown III picked up while Trey to the work. The training at Teen Line in Harvard-Westlake High the spring was how to ask School sophomore had long another child if they were been a “therapist” for his contemplating suicide. friends. But after his classThis question is crucial, counselors at the youth- mate Jordan Park killed herself in March, he wanted run crisis hotline say. Askto do more. ing it directly saves lives, “He said he always by naming the intense and often unspeakable desire to meant to go up and say hi to her,” said his mother, Chrisdie that now haunts almost tine Brown. “He knew she a quarter of American high was having a hard time and school students, according he felt responsible.” to the Centers for Disease Weeks later, senior JoControl and Prevention. nah Anschell died the same “People who are not way Jordan had, followed suicidal will be like, ‘No, no, no, no, I would never do almost immediately by Jorthat,’” said Mendez, 16, one dan’s father, Shaun Park. For of the crisis line’s volunteer Trey and other students at “listeners,” whom the orga- the prestigious prep school, the speed and the scale of nization asked to be identithe loss were dizzying. The fied only by her first name. fear of contagion — the viral “But other people spread of suicide through might say something like, social groups — hung over ‘Well, maybe...,’” she went the school like a miasma. on. “A lot of people will “I remember him test the waters to make sure you’re a safe person” to tell. saying after Jordan passed away, and then Jonah, there Because suicide is wasn’t a whole lot that they impulsive, the jump from inchoate longing to lethal in- felt like they could do for tent can be sudden, the leap each other,” Brown said. from intent into action even “When he got selected [for TeenLine] he was really faster, studies show. “One study found that excited. He felt like he could really be there” for his peers, 71% of attempts happened she said. within an hour or less of To his parents, the [someone] making the deciskills Trey was learning and sion, and a quarter were five his passion for the work felt minutes or less,” said Janel Cubbage, a suicidologist and like an inoculation against a deadly threat. They called it prevention expert. “an extra layer of defense.” Yet as California’s The program’s training teen suicide rate has spiked, regimen was rigorous. school administrators have Sixty hours. No abshied from the word. Now sences, no tardies, loads of many all but forbid the acknowledgment of student homework. It was a lot for a kid who was already comsuicides, despite state laws muting from Santa Clarita mandating evidence-based to Studio City each day, and suicide prevention and decades of evidence proving competing in varsity sports on top of his schoolwork. silence causes harm. But Trey was invigo“The No. 1 myth I’ve rated by the challenge, his dealt with forever is, ‘If we parents said. talk about it, it’s going to “He felt like that was happen,’” said Dr. Richard his calling,” said his father, Lieberman, lead suicide Donald Brown Jr. “He really prevention expert for Los wanted to have a purpose, to Angeles County’s Office of feel like he was making an Education, who also works impact, and that was his way closely with Teen Line. of doing it.” Lieberman and other Then, in the midst experts are adamant: Most of his training, Trey killed suicides can be prevented. himself too. For adolescents, prevention often starts with other teens. See Crisis on 6
Tribune Content Agency Volunteer Wiley Caraway, 12, of Dallas is ready to serve turkey dinner at OurCalling, which serves the homeless in Dallas County, Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023, in Dallas. Thanksgiving dinner was served to homeless and needy people at OurCalling on Wednesday.
City of Dallas launches volunteer corps to support homelessness initiatives Leah Waters The Dallas Morning News
support the city’s temporary inclement weather shelter, work at The Bridge Homeless Recovery Center, and assist other local non-profits, said Christine Crossley, director of the office of homeless solutions. Crossley said the city’s DALLAS — The city of biggest need for helping hands is Dallas’ Office of Homeless Solu- during the hot and cold inclemtions is launching a volunteer ent weather periods. In the corps to serve unsheltered neigh- winter, volunteers muster to staff bors ahead of the winter season weather shelters, pass out warm when the city and Austin Street blankets and clothes, and pick Center open doors in times of up donated supplies to transport inclement weather. them. Volunteers in the OHS “We as a city don’t have a Friends Group, which will be ton of volunteer events,” Crossmanaged by the office’s volunley said. “But when we do, we teer services division, will help really need people.”
Crossley said many nonprofits, churches and volunteer groups already have partnerships with the city to help during inclement weather periods. But during big weather events, the city often needs dozens of hands on deck for several days. “Having these volunteers [means we] can pick up when the smaller church who has five or six ladies in their 60′s keeping the church open and keeping the casseroles coming in for two or three days and are just exhausted,” Crossley said. “We need a second wave who can come in, or who can go get food and drop it off.” See Dallas on 8
Courtesy of OSU News Teams compete on planting and growing winter wheat at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023.
Small grains, big competition Producers plant wheat for regional contest Courtesy of OSU News
Tribune Content Agency Donald “Trey” Brown III’s parents keep his phone charged so his friends can continue texting the number.
the highest quality and most cost-effective wheat. “The TAPS program is an opportunity for us to learn from the different teams to The Oklahoma State Uni- understand which management versity Extension Small Grains decisions are most profitable or highest yield producing,” said program is celebrating wheat planting season with a friendly Amanda Silva, OSU Extension small grains specialist. competition. Each team’s wheat vaFor the first time, OSU riety of choice was planted in is implementing a Testing Ag Performance Solutions program early November in no-till plots managed by OSU’s Soil Ferto hold a wheat management contest. Eight teams comprised tility Program. From drill to combine, each team will choose of wheat industry experts and specific factors for its respecprofessionals from Oklahoma tive plot such as variety, seeding and Kansas will compete on rate, nutrient supplementation OSU plots to determine which management practices produce and pest management. “The goal of this program
is to unite the wheat industry while learning which practices are most profitable and highest yielding,” Silva said. Teams for the wheat management competition include producers from different regions of Oklahoma, professionals from the Oklahoma Wheat Commission and the Oklahoma Wheat Growers Association, and Extension professionals from both OSU and Kansas State University. Contest updates are available on the OSU Small Grains social media pages and the OSU Wheat Research and Extension website. After harvest, contest winners and results will be posted for public access. news.ed@ocolly.com