The local Laurel Highlands Semicolon Project was started by a group of students at GJHS in school year 2017-2018. They wanted to spread the word throughout every high school that some times high school life is difficult and if you take a pause (like a semicolon in a sentence), things can and will get better if you talk it through and ask for help.
They developed a YouTube video that went viral and also created a T-shirt design with the tag line “Your Story Isn’t Over” and the 1-800 Suicide help line on the back. A fund was started at the CFA to support this effort. Profits from T-shirt sales go directly back into the area in the way of awareness and education.
In the spring of 2019, through a Lee Initiatives Health and Wellness Grant, the next step for this project was initiated. The project includes offering a Semicolon banner to every high school in Cambria and Somerset counties. The GJHS students wanted any student from any school, on any bad day, to know where to find the number to find help. Check out our photo gallery (we’ll be adding to it as we gather more images) of this important project, or click here to donate.