By Ketki Chauhan ’16

Charles Federline, or CJ as he was called by his peers, was only a junior when he passed away on Friday, February 19. Federline had been battling depression for many years before ultimately taking his own life. A memorial service was held by the family to commemorate Federline’s life and was open to the community. Held February 23 at the Oak Room at the Sandy Spring Fire House, the service included an opening prayer and blessing by Pastor Clark Baisden and remarks by Principal Bill Gregory.

Federline was known for enjoying fishing, which was noted in many of the memories written in the program for the service. Other reminiscences of Federline included summer visits to the creek in Chincoteague, Virginia, and his love for video games, swimming and playing around.

“I think his favorite part [about visiting his aunt] was going to the creek to fish. It was hard to get him to come home for meals. He was always very independent. I will miss those visits,” one memory from his aunt said.

His tragic passing was mourned by the school community in many ways. A letter was written to the parents informing them of the death and included separate documentation with suggestions on discussing death. On the first day back from the weekend, grief counselors and psychologists were available to help students through their grieving. A banner was also set up across the health room for students wishing to write their heartfelt farewells to Federline.

Federline’s parents have been open about the cause of his passing as a way to raise awareness about the dangers of depression, and encourage those in similar situations to seek out help. Rates for both depression and suicide have increased among teens, making it important to pay attention to warning signs and to consult a trusted adult. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a 24-7 crisis hotline for those in need of help. The lifeline can be accessed online at www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org or at 1-800-273-8255 to speak to a trained counselor at a crisis center.