Every year on the third Thursday in November since 2008, the Highmark Caring Place has raised awareness for children who have lost a loved one in their life by helping the children deal with their grief.

  Here at school, Club C.A.R.E has taken this tradition and continues to raise awareness for Children’s Grief each year. “Years ago, we were invited to the Highmark Caring Place luncheon in Lemoyne.” said Angela Schneider, a teacher and adviser of Club C.A.R.E. Schneider and two other students were granted the opportunity to experience the Highmark Caring Place itself. They got to see the different rooms that the Caring Place has to offer and the different types of counseling that is provided. There are four Highmark Caring facilities which are located throughout western and central Pennsylvania. They also have a combined website that is filled with lots of information about grief and what their program is about. The Highmark Caring Place may seem like a counseling center, but it is not. This is because they do not want people to feel like they are under pressure. Instead, the kids, teens, and families come together and talk about their own individual grief to help realize that they are not alone. “There are a lot of people who have been affected by the loss of a loved one.” said Schneider. These support groups help grieving kids and teens come together and build strengthen each other. On Children’s Grief Awareness Day, one of the big projects that the kids do every year is make a quilt square in memory of a family member that they have lost. In hope to advertise this awareness, the Highmark Caring Place gives the options for schools to send in how they participate in Children’s Grief Awareness Day and potentially win a gift card. Last year, Club C.A.R.E was selected and won the gift card to help pay for the expenses that comes with bringing awareness throughout the school.       

This coming Thursday, Club C.A.R.E is helping to raise awareness for Children’s Grief Awareness Day. Students are encouraged to wear blue to school that day to show support for the children and what they are going through. “It really helps the kids who are grieving know that they are not alone and that everyone goes through a loss sometime during their life.” said Emma Shughart, a former Club C.A.R.E member. On what Club C.A.R.E hopes to accomplish Schneider said, “Just being understanding of others grief and loss would be first and foremost, and then on Thursday, it would be nice to see students dressed in blue.”  During advisement today, two guest speakers will be coming in to talk to all grades in the school. There will be one speaker for 9th and 10th graders from the Highmark Caring Place who will share information about the grieving process and one speaker for 11th and 12th graders talking about texting and driving. During lunch on Thursday, there will be a table setup where students can write about a loved one that they have lost on a paper cloud. This cloud will then be displayed with many other clouds hung on a tree that will show how everyone can come together as a whole. Along with writing on and displaying the clouds, there will be some giveaways at lunch such as temporary tattoos and pencils.

“The most important thing is to be there for someone who is grieving.” said Schneider. Children’s Grief Awareness day with Club C.A.R.E, is a day to bring students closer and to be able to grieve and raise awareness together.