Clarification:

The resource list in this article was updated to reflect that Pastoral Counseling Services and Red Oak Behavioral Health are the same organization.

Before football practice, Firestone coach Rayshaun Nevins takes the pulse of his players’ mindset.  

Several miles away, Dan Richards, a longtime counselor at Garfield Community Learning Center, pays attention to changes in students’ sleep and eating habits — oftentimes clues into mental health challenges. 

Andre Black, a therapist based at Helen Arnold CLC, aims to build trust with his elementary school-aged pupils so they feel comfortable sharing experiences that impact their ability to learn. 

“For the most part, trust is a continual process,” said Black, an Akron Public Schools contractor who works full time for Minority Behavioral Health Group.   

Their combined efforts showcase the support Akron’s public schools provide students enduring potentially emotionally charged situations. In recent weeks, students and their families at North High School have experienced firsthand or been closely affected by events in the community, including tragic losses of life. 

How does Akron Public Schools respond when tragedy visits a school? 

Typically, when an entire student body grapples with the sudden loss of a classmate, APS dispatches its in-house crisis response team. It’s often comprised of volunteers such as Wanda Lash — recently promoted to Assistant Superintendent —  as well as counselors and school psychologists. 

Their services are free and exist alongside other counseling services. It’s currently unknown how often the school district dispatches the response team. 

At North High School, following the death of two students, Richards said APS employees volunteered on the campus. 

“They’re just amazing at initial response for building needs,” Richards said. 

What’s the role of adults when children are forced to confront tragedy?

Richards said the role of adults in these situations — from teachers to support staff — is to foster open communication and offer empathy. By doing that, they can offer valuable guidance for struggling young people. 

That’s echoed by Nevins and Black, both of whom make efforts to be consistent in their relationships with Akron’s youth. 

“Overall, just being consistent and then me showing them through my action, and along with my words, that I do really care about any and everything they’re experiencing,” Black said. 

Nevins agreed, saying: “You have to show them who you really are, because kids know.” 

The relationships students have with adults — whether a parent or a counselor,  pastor or coach — can be a critical component to a young person’s mental health. 

“When we suffer a loss or a tragedy in our lives,” Richards said, “the people that surround us, the people that support us, it just enriches that relationship.” 

And for parents?

Richards said it’s important for parents to maintain open communication with their children, especially during moments of strife. These conversations can serve as a lifeline, especially when other trusted adults figuratively circle the wagons to buoy the student. 

When a student steps into his office to discuss mental health issues, Richards said, he tells them to count.

Count three or four trusted people in their lives — parents, coaches, peers — then reach out to them. 

“It’s OK to reach out to a trusted individual,” Nevins said. 

Counselors, too, are a tool Nevins encourages students to use. He said therapy can provide useful tools and an avenue towards healing. 

“Counseling doesn’t make you crazy, doesn’t make you insane,” he said. 

What can students expect emotionally after experiencing loss? 

Richards said students, and most anyone else experiencing tragedy or grief, will experience its five stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. 

How they manage those stages, however, can vary widely. Grief must be dealt with by the person experiencing it, but Richards said some rely on faith-based coping; some deal with it on their own; others lean on family and friends. 

“Realize where they’re at in that process,” Richards said about helping teens navigate the stages of grief. “Understanding that [there’s] different stages for different people on different timelines, I think, is one of the keys.”

But those stages often bring questions, regardless of the age of the person. 

“It’s the ‘why?’ that puzzles our kids the most,” Richards said. “Why would someone do that? Why did they make that choice?” 

While the answer to those questions may never come, Richards said it can be helpful to relate their struggles with grief to other obstacles or issues they’ve dealt with. Making those connections and honing those skills can lighten the load. 

“A long-term benefit, I guess, would be first off that recognition of your strength with coping skills,” he said.  

What parents should watch for

Sometimes, grieving students don’t want to reach out. Emotions can feel consuming, too big to wrap their arms around. But there are signs their people can look for. 

Richards said changes in diet or habits can indicate internal struggles, especially if a student isn’t eating as much as normal or isolating themselves more often. 

Dropping grades or attendance issues can be other signs, as can drug and tobacco use. 

Richards, a father himself, knows that teens often isolate themselves in their bedrooms. But the key, he said, is to identify antisocial behaviors that are out of the norm. 

At the center of all that, like many parts of helping others deal with grief, is an open, attentive and empathetic relationship. 

What resources are available locally to Akron parents and students?  

In addition to school counselors such as Richards, which are free for students, here’s a list of resources he recommends. 

Former Education Reporter
Andrew is a native son of Northeast Ohio who previously worked at the Akron Beacon Journal, News 5 Cleveland, and the Columbus Dispatch before leaving to work in national news with the Investigative Unit at Fox News. He is a graduate of Kent State University.