Bust the stigma! This phrase describes one of the many goals that Lisa Richardson, Erika’s Lighthouse (EL) club sponsor and English teacher, seeks to accomplish for the organization. According to Ashley Abbatiello, senior club leader, Richardson has been involved in the club since its beginnings in March 2010 and has stopped at nothing to bring its message to the attention of students at South and at other schools.

2012 graduate Haley Tuchman was involved in the early formation of the club at South and said that she formed a close relationship with Richardson as a result. According to her, Richardson always found a way to get students involved.

“No teacher would approach such a serious topic with such great intentions,” Tuchman said. “She put so much time and energy into setting up meetings and the entire process. You could tell that she gave everything 110 percent, and we couldn’t have asked for a better sponsor.”

The senior leaders of EL, Claudia Vanciu and Abbatiello, spoke on behalf of Richardson’s personal involvement in the club as well.

“She’s amazing,” Vanciu said. “She isn’t just a sponsor but more of a second mom. She is someone that will help you out, listen, and is a person who really cares about our students and would do anything to help them. Also, if she sees that you’re having a terrible day, she will pull you aside and help you put it together.”

According to Vanciu, Richardson is great at telling you what you need to hear, even if you don’t want to hear it. Abbatiello added that many kids are wrong about thinking that EL is a club for depressed students to get personal help.

“It is not a depression club where we all sit around and talk about our feelings,” Abbatiello said. “We just have so much fun because Richardson is fantastic.”

Richardson says that there are a variety of goals that she hopes to achieve as club sponsor.

“I have always been the driving organizer, going through anything that needs approval,” Richardson said. “EL has the goal that all kids need to be educated-not limited to one specific school. Our main goal [for the club] is to create an educated population on the epidemic of depression.”

Richardson also stresses the importance of student involvement in educating other schools on the purpose of EL, according to Abbatiello.

“Richardson has about five or six club members go [to different schools] and address what the club is about, explain what kids can do [to cure depression], and what friends of those of kids can do if they notice symptoms [of depression],” Abbatiello said.

Richardson described the community involvement of EL.

“I hope we continue to become active members locally, such as with The Youth Services of Glenview,” Richardson stated. “We can learn to help kids get better, and ultimately, that is our goal.”

According to Tuchman, Richardson was also heavily involved in the process of starting the E-mail (Erika’s Mail) communication system at GBS. This mailing system has the goal of making the days of students with the use of caring sentiments on the backs of postcards. These cards feature photographs taken by South students on the front of them as well.

“The goal for E-mail is to reach out to kids that feel less connected than others do and to let them know that they are a part of something,” Richardson said. “If someone were to do well on a speech, you would address a note to them saying this, which could potentially make their day.”

Students who have received E-mails have approached EL members, thanking them for what they are doing for the school. In return, Richardson hopes that these recipients of E-mail will take the initiative to join the club and attract more members in the school, according to Richardson.

Richardson always reiterated the importance of the club with the hope that the intent of helping students would guide their activities, according to Vanciu.

Tuchman said, “The point of the club is to educate people on the warning signs of depression, and Richardson always made that clear. She always told us that depression is a thing that can affect anyone, it doesn’t pick and choose, and you are never in a place to judge people about what they are going through.”

Richardson also shared the kinds of kids that the club tries to help.

“There are people that need assistance and people that are feeling alone,” She said. “You may not notice [these people], and those are the kids we are trying to reach out and listen to.”