Montana Key Club members are attempting to reduce bullying and, as a result, teenage suicide through their Project Life and Project Pride programs.

While Project Life has been an established program, Project Pride is geared to reduce bullying at the elementary and middle school levels.

“It’s a proven fact that kids that are bullied at a young age are mentally scarred,” Sam Viall, a Key Club lieutenant governor from Miles City, said during last week’s statewide Key Club convention. “It changes you.” Officials said some schools weren’t open to the Project Life message because they felt discussing suicide was dangerous. Key Club officials, however, disagree. “By talking openly about it, you bring more awareness about suicide,” Viall said.

Montana had the highest suicide rate in the country in 2000. After being third for a few years, Montana again holds the top spot.

“People die more often suicide than homicide, isn’t that strange,” Evan Sherman, a Key Club lieutenant governor from Great Falls, said. “Give them hope, and you might be giving somebody their life.”

Because of the connection between bullying and suicide, the goal of Project Pride is to prevent bullying in Montana’s schools.

Some Key Club members in the state have spent lunch or recess times with middle school or elementary school students. “We especially tried to seek kids who looked like they don’t feel loved,” Viall said.

The Key Club members also performed skits for the younger students regarding bullying. “Even during the presentations, you could see kids thinking about their own actions. You have to get them changing the way they think at a young age.”

Viall and Sherman urged Key Club members throughout the state to take an active part in reducing bullying and suicide.

“Getting other people to recognize it, that’s what Project Life is about,” Viall said. “Everybody has to take the initiative, not just clubs but also individuals. Stand up for people in the hallways or at work.”

Statistics show bullies are more likely to get into fights, be involved in vandalism, drink, smoke or use illegal drugs, drop out of school and carry weapons.

Bullying leads to depression and low self-esteem. A survey reports 90 percent of students have witnessed bullying, 20 percent have bullied someone else and 20 percent have been bullied on a regular basis.

“Step up. It’s really not that hard to tell them to stop it,” Sherman said. “If you take a stand against what’s wrong, you are strengthening your future self.”

editor@sidneyherald.com