On March 6, St. Rose had its annual Senior Transition Day in the Little Theater to give the Seniors a glimpse into the world after high school. Four speakers were brought in to talk to the seniors and give presentations throughout the course of the day. This is held by the SADD Club to help the seniors move from the St. Rose shell and warn them about the possible ‘destructive decisions’ that college students can make during this significant transition. The main focuses of the day were mental health, safety in relationships and sexual safety, and maintaining your faith throughout the next four years. These speakers came from the organizations Minding Your Mind, 180 Turning Lives Around, You Cannot Be Replaced, and St. Rose’s very own Father Chris.
The first speaker of the day came was Father Chris who talks to our students with a great ease and brings a calming atmosphere to everyone. His focus was the importance of strengthening our relationship with God while we are in this overwhelming adjustment to a very different part of our lives. It was a good way to ease into the day before the talks got more serious.
The next speaker was Lucas from Minding My Mind. This organization’s speakers are people who have battled depression throughout their life and so they decide not to share their last names for a slight sense of anonymity following their visit. Lucas deeply delved into his struggles that he has faced with depression since he was a junior in high school. His case was one that showed how truly anyone you know could be suffering with depression and you would never even know, which is a far more common and concerning subject than we know. Stories like this raise awareness to the seemingly unlikely cases that could be in your family or some of your close friends and highlights how important it is to check on people.
Jennifer Carasia was the speaker from 180 Turning Lives Around to talk about the dangers that can come with being in a relationship and the dangers of sexual predators as students approach a popular age of common victims of sex crimes. She discussed the importance of being able to reach out to others and to be strong enough to leave your boyfriend or girlfriend. These situations can happen to anyone and they are very much a reality in our society.
Chip and Melissa Dayton (Father Chris’s parents!) also came to speak for their non-profit, You Cannot Be Replaced. The organization was started by their daughter because there was a time of great distress in the community because several high school students she had known had taken their own lives. She wanted a way to find some sense of comfort and unity for everyone and told her parents that she wanted to make bracelets with the slogan: You Cannot Be Replaced. The idea is to pass on the bracelet to someone you think may need it. They started making hundreds and it caught more fire and they made thousands. They carry on the organization with their daughter due to its popularity and shows our seniors that even though situations may seem very bleak, you can turn the community around.
The seniors are always very grateful for Transition Day and it is always a great success and will certainly continue for future classes.
