The program\u2019s administrative arm comprises \u2018adult advisors\u2019\u2014teachers, counselors, and staff trained to be visible, trusted points of support\u2014and \u2018peer leaders,\u2019 who are entrusted to normalize discussions about mental health and healthy coping behaviors. Deploying peer influence to change school norms, Frank explained: \u201cWe identified about 25 or 30 students\u2026 they get trained on the ability or skill to have conversations with their peers about some topics that we tend to avoid because they\u2019re uncomfortable\u2026 stress at home, struggles with school or friends.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019re not just talking\u2014we can go be gritty and persevere and be resilient\u2026 it\u2019s about being more in touch with where you\u2019re strong.\u201d<\/p>VIce principal mr. frank<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Conversations are a central instrument in the toolbox, or \u201csources of strength,\u201d people can rely on. Visually represented by the Sources of Strength<\/em> wheel, the tools are characterized by eight key protective measures such as positive friends, spirituality, or healthy activities. One of the strengths the program emphasizes is mentorship: \u201cWhen things get tough, I can channel my inner mentor, or call someone to get advice. Hopefully we all have some part of that wheel we can rely on\u2026 acknowledging stress is a great step to dealing with it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Besides the occasional sticker, Sources of Strength<\/em> is broadly unknown at PVHS. When the preexisting awareness of the program was characterized by \u201csomething you see… but don’t recognize… It just exists,\u201d Frank responded with a similar assessment: \u201cIt\u2019s been around longer than I\u2019ve been assistant principal\u2026 probably a decade.\u201d In light of the program’s relative inactivity, \u201cit\u2019s been difficult to transfer skills and internal conversations into a campus wide awareness.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The rainbow stairs are one part of a campaign to put Sources of Strength<\/em> and suicide prevention into the foreground. Drawing parallels to the LGBTQ pride flag, the stairs roused a mix of hesitancy and consternation from the student body. Disorientated by a shift in branding, one PVHS senior put it, \u201cMy initial reaction was, \u2018Like, why?\u2019\u201d said Sophie Fox. \u201cThose colors don\u2019t really have anything to do with our school. PV\u2019s colors would have made sense, but I don\u2019t see those (the rainbow coloring) having a place here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rather than opposition to the program itself, the reaction appears rooted in ambiguity\u2014where the program\u2019s relative obscurity coincides with politicized interpretations of public rainbow art. The irony is notable: a symbol meant for suicide prevention is misread, while groups often associated with rainbow imagery bear the highest suicide risk, with 12% of LGBTQ youth attempting suicide in 2023, per CBS. Across Florida, rainbow sidewalks and public installations have been painted over following political pressure or administrative decisions, including high-profile cases in Miami Beach and at Orlando\u2019s Pulse Nightclub Memorial, which honors the 49 killed and 53 injured in the 2016 mass shooting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When asked, \u201cHow would you respond to someone who thinks it\u2019s a pride flag?\u201d Frank affirmed, \u201cI don\u2019t get mad at people for thinking it\u2019s one thing versus another… Once they knew what we were going for, they were appreciative,\u201d expressing their readiness to lend a hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Frank too was generally unaware, saying at first, \u201cI didn’t know anything about it (Sources of Strength<\/em>)… I was trepidatious… Is this just a bunch of kumbaya, you know… sing some songs and all of a sudden the world’s better? And of course it’s not.\u201d Averring, \u201cIt’s not any of that stuff. It’s just genuine conversations, with genuine people looking for ways to cope.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The marketing\u2014and its ambiguity\u2014\u201cby and large\u2026 was a very effective \u2018campaign,\u2019 at least. It (the controversy) wasn’t on purpose\u2026 but it was handy that it got people talking,\u201d Frank noted. What was once a passing sticker or shirt is no longer merely peripheral, but something to recognize and pay attention to. Soon, the courtyard wheel and stairs will be inscribed with calligraphy, helping to clarify their purpose and message. As students begin to understand the intent behind the paint, awareness shifts into engagement. PVHS senior William Hanky remarked, \u201cI just learned that the stairs are for suicide prevention, and I think that is a good cause and something I want to learn more about.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n For those interested in Sources of Strength<\/em>, being a part of a group, or becoming a peer leader, they should reach out to Assistant Principal David Frank, Dean Katie Conklin, AP Coordinator Jennifer Lee, or Testing Coordinator Sarah Halter. Additionally, information regarding Sources of Strength\u2019s<\/em> mission and methodology can be found on their website, sourcesofstrength.org. For emergencies, reach the suicide prevention hotline at 988 by text or call.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pictured: The rainbow staircase front and center of the PVHS courtyard.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By: Jonothan Milicevic Walking in after Thanksgiving recess, students were surprised to see a fresh paint job on Ponte Vedra High School\u2019s (PVHS) courtyard staircase. The rainbow embellishments have brewed up noticeable controversy at PVHS, and no\u2014they are not \u2018gay.\u2019…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8224,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pgc_meta":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11,4,1],"tags":[835,138,139,149],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/pvhstiburon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0-6.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pvhstiburon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8223"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pvhstiburon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pvhstiburon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pvhstiburon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pvhstiburon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8223"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/pvhstiburon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8223\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8230,"href":"https:\/\/pvhstiburon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8223\/revisions\/8230"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pvhstiburon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8224"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pvhstiburon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8223"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pvhstiburon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8223"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pvhstiburon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8223"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/pvhstiburon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n