Schools: Join the Movement

A resource that meets students where they are

As a member of our tight-knit community, you know the role suicide has played in local teens’ lives. In 2015 alone, 15 children in El Paso County took their own lives. That’s why the Below the Surface campaign offers a no-B.S. approach to addressing the feelings and stressors our youth face. Posters promote the state’s free, confidential, 24/7 text support line, via messaging informed by a Youth Advisory Panel of nine high schoolers who have shared their hearts with us. The campaign is gaining traction, but we need your help – and so do your students who wrestle with depression, anxiety, social pressures and family strife. Because sometimes, real cause for concern lies just below the surface.

“At Manitou Springs District 14 we are committed to supporting the whole child through meaningful relationships, rigorous academic programs and opportunities to explore, learn, and experiment. Supporting students’ social-emotional health is a key component in supporting the district mission. The Below the Surface campaign has provided another valuable layer of mental health support for the district’s students and families. The campaign has created a teenage-user-friendly platform that supports the social-emotional health of Manitou Springs District 14 students.”

— Jesse Hull,
Assistant Principal, Manitou Springs School District 14

School district partners

The following school districts have already prioritized their students’ mental health and well-being by opening up to this campaign.

Calhan School District RJ-1
Harrison School District 2
Widefield School District 3
Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8
Colorado Springs School District 11
Manitou Springs School District 14
Academy School District 20
Ellicott School District 22
Peyton School District 23
Pikes Peak School District 49
Edison School District 54JT
Miami Yoder School District JT60

I want this campaign in my school.

Join the growing list of El Paso County schools that support the Below the Surface campaign.

Submit the form below.
Four questions. It’s that simple to get started and it’ll be the most important form you fill out all day.
Set up a 45-minute meeting.
We know you’re busy, so we’ll keep this short. Together, we’ll determine if your school is a good fit and then walk you through how to implement the campaign.
Provide your school community with context.
Parents, teachers, students, administrators — they’ll want to know what the campaign is about and how it affects them. Use the tools below to share background and help with onboarding.

Discovery Canyon Campus paid for the printing & installation of the graphic, seen above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Tell me about the text line.

Who answers the text line?

Will we be notified if one of our students texts the line?

How much will this campaign cost our school?

Can we pick which posters we want?

All of these concepts came directly from the 9 high schoolers in our Youth Advisory Panel – so we can say with confidence that every issue featured in these posters are real. They are the struggles that weigh most heavily on your students’ minds.

That being said, we understand if you feel uncomfortable running one or more of the posters in your school. We simply want to reach as many kids as possible, right where they are.

Who hangs up the posters?

Could we get other 'campaign materials' specially made for our school?