Lakers player talks to students about new mental health services

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About 300 students packed the school gym this morning anxiously awaiting the famous basketball star. When the 6'7" Laker walked out in a suit jacket and jeans, completely different than the usual purple and gold, students erupted with cheers. The basketball layer spoke about his struggles growing up, especially when his parents got divorced.

"I didn't really know how to deal, except to fight and to argue," said Lakers player Ron Artest, who has formally changed his name to Metta World Peace.

The issue is personal for Metta, both on and off the court. In 2004, he entered the stands of a game and started fighting the fans. When he's not dribbling balls on the court, Metta speaks publicly about his campaign to promote mental health awareness in other schools and raise money for the cause.

Last year, he auctioned off his Laker's championship ring and donated $100,000 from it to mental health charities.

He uses the motto: hope, wellness and recovery. Metta hopes talking out their problems will help reduce suicide, bullying and peer pressure.

LAUSD President Monica Garcia encouraged students to talk to teachers or coaches if they're feeling stressed, depressed or confused.

"We are here to support you, but we need you to be a person and stand up and say, I deserve better. I deserve to have that support," Garcia said.

LAUSD and the Department of Mental Health are now providing a new 24-hour hotline for students to talk to counselors and on-site mental health counselors.

Dorian Traube, Associate Professor of Social Work at USC, thinks this hotline will help show students that the feelings they're dealing with are normal.

As the assembly ended, Metta World Peace left the students with a piece of advice: "This one counselor always told me to take five. and I like that. Take five seconds, take five breathers, take five minutes to yourself."

The 24 hour hotline is up and running for students to use.