Stress. Anxiety. Depression. Suicidal thoughts.

Mental illness is nearly impossible to manage and navigate alone. Everyone needs a support system to help them through, which is precisely the purpose of Kats Joined for Hope; students banded together to support one another, once again. The club is back!

The original organization, Cassidy Joined for Hope, was started by The Woodlands resident Kim Hess after her daughter, Cassidy, tragically lost her battle with depression. Hess started the clubs as a place for teens to speak up about their struggles and get the help they need. These clubs have now grown past The Woodlands city limits and sprung up in other high schools around the county.

The school’s Kats Joined for Hope allows students to be part of a strong and intentional support system; students can join by using the link on the club’s Instagram @katsjoined4hope.wisd.

“KJ4H’s mission is to let students know they have a home regardless of feeling outcast or discarded,” President senior Stone Chapman, said. “KJ4H wants to sympathize with students and promote inclusivity.”

Kats Joined for Hope experienced a rough patch after the original sponsor moved on from the school. Former members still had an incredible passion for helping others, but with no sponsor, the club’s future seemed ironically hopeless. That was until the English teacher Christina Henderson stepped up to the plate.

“Stone came to me with a need,” Henderson said. “The previous sponsor is no longer at WHS, and he told me that he and other students were excited about reviving the club, and I thought this would be a great way to help my students as well as the rest of the population at WHS.”

The club gives students an opportunity to get involved in spreading positivity around campus and uplifting their community. Kats Joined for Hope is mainly a project-based club, they organize projects such as poster making and chalk the walk to spread kindness and a feeling of unity in the school.

“I enjoy our meetings and how they can be interactive sometimes,” KJ4H treasurer junior Vanden Johnson said. “Doing things such as chalking down kind comments on the sidewalk was super fun. And it shows how involved you can get in the club, even as a member.”  

Kats Joined for Hope gives students a sense of belonging and encourages students to have compassion for others. It’s a beautiful thing to witness.

“I love having a community that cares as much as I do about others,” junior Maribel Muniz said. “I’m proud to be a part of something that could save lives.”

Members love KJ4H because of its unique ability to pull students together despite the harsh environment that high school can be to some.

“Kats Joined for Hope differs from other clubs due to positivity,” Johnson said. “The amount of positivity that can be spread in one meeting is genuinely unique. And it is a great club for people to feel safe and included.”

Kats Joined for Hope encapsulates the love and compassion the world needs more of, giving students important resources and most of all, hope.

“We come from all walks of life with many different experiences, and we understand the need for mental health help,” Henderson said. “We are a life source at WHS, a place to turn to when in need, and a group to fellowship with when not. We are a group of belonging.”