On the morning of Valentine’s Day, Voorhees High School students found a gift on their locker, a handcrafted heart with a special message. These hearts were not to celebrate the annual romantic holiday, but instead these were Peyton Hearts, created to represent the heart of a life lost to suicide.
Voorhees junior, Mikayla Simanski, organized a team of students, teachers and community members to make, collect and distribute over 1,400 hearts to the students and staff of Voorhees High School. The effort was for the Peyton Heart Project, whose mission is to help raise global awareness about suicide and bullying and to help end the stigma surrounding mental health issues (www.thepeytonheartproject.org).
Mikayla became a Peyton Heart Project Ambassador after she lost someone close to her by suicide. “After that occurred, I knew that I wanted to help others to educate and prevent these instances from occurring, because I would never want anyone else to go through that. I feel that this project has not only helped me to cope with my loss, but also grow as a person by being able to help and inspire others,” said Mikayla.
According to the Project’s website, the Peyton Heart Project is named after Peyton James, a 13-year-old boy who, in the fall of 2014, died by suicide after years of being bullied. Handcrafted hearts are placed in public places around the world for people to find during their everyday lives. The hope is that the hearts will cause people to stop for a moment and reflect on a young life lost to suicide, reflect on bullying and on the fact that everyone’s life matters. To get involved with the Peyton Heart Project, please visit the organization’s website (www.thepeytonheartproject.org).
(In photo (L-R), Gianna Morano, Margaret Duval, Mikayla Simanski, Principal Ron Peterson and Chloe DeCleene.)
