KANSAS CITY, Mo. — An after-school program is providing students at Ewing Marion Kauffman Middle School a safe place while supporting their mental health.
Alana Washington has always had a passion for teaching, but that didn't start until after praying and asking God for signs. Soon enough that sign became evident.
I was reading about the fruit of the spirit and I saw teaching and I saw how Jesus literally taught children like the gospel and then I thought about when I took a semester off of college and I was a preschool teacher and I fell in love," Washington said. "Then I was like I think I want to be a teacher.
From being a teacher, Washington has played many roles.
“My day as a teacher is a lot because not only am I teaching content, I feel like I'm also being a counselor. I'm also being a mom. I'm being a sister and aunt," Washington said.
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After seeing a need in students, Washington started the program, Save a Life. A program aimed at addressing mental health challenges through a faith-based approach.
“We would have conversations about things that they're going through at home. Things like suicidal thoughts. Things like I can't talk to my mom. Things like this happened to me when I was a child and I don't know how to process this," Washington said. "Then I realized, not only am I mentoring to them, I'm ministering to them.”
Alana's brother had died that year from suicide, she said it was also healing for her to share such a hard moment with her students.
“Save a Life is a play on words. are we saving lives physically, teaching them how to like mentally and physically be safe, but also saving their lives spiritually," Washington said.
The after-school program allows students to not only heal, but also feel accepted.
“It gives me a sense of like safety like I'm not alone. I feel like having that is good too because it helps people who are struggling with mental health," said Gurlie Hopkins, student at Ewing Marion Kauffman Middle School.
The program has grown throughout the year, many students like Raville White said the program has brought him and his classmates closer.
"I would say it's like building a family bond with her [Mrs. Washington]," White said.
Washington said she's grateful that the school has supported the program, but with the growth of it, any support helps.
The program has started a GoFundMe to continue their mission.
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