Ashley Armes - Program Manager, Wartburg Central Middle School

When Ashley Armes began her first year as a #CISTN program manager at Wartburg Central Middle School, two 7th graders - Shannon and Amber - were among the first students she connected with. Both are cheerleaders, close friends, and eager to make the most of their middle school experience. At the time, Ashley was still building her caseload and simply introduced herself, inviting any student to reach out. 

Shannon and Amber agreed to join on Ashley’s caseload. In those early weeks, Ashley built a strong foundation of trust through regular check-ins, DESSA assessments, and open conversations. Over time, the girls bravely shared that they had been engaging in self-harm and wanted to stop. Together, they created goals around emotional well-being and accountability and worked closely with Ashley through individual and group sessions. 

They leaned on DESSA-based strategies like self-care challenges, emotional tracking, and journaling through shared check-ins. They supported one another outside of school and used an app to track their progress and days of wellness. 

This spring, both girls reached their life and social skills goals, raised their DESSA scores, and are now in a much healthier place. They're proud of their progress, and so are we! 

Their story is a powerful reminder of what can happen when students feel safe, supported, and heard.