Laramie Seniors Receive Jae Boots

With help from more than 40 volunteers, the Jae Foundation held 12 three-part workshops for students and staff that covered awareness and education, distributed resources and tools, and offered guidance on starting conversations about suicide. The sessions ended with students standing a little taller — in their new Jae Boots. In all, 256 pairs of cowboy boots were gifted to students and staff.

For the school district, the community focus on mental health is a welcome one. 15% of Albany County School District #1 students who participated in the 2024 Prevention Needs Assessment responded, ​“Yes”, to the question, ​“During the past 12 months, did you ever seriously consider attempting suicide?”. 

“This one data point alone demonstrates the need for our continued and intentional focus on the mental well-being of our children.” Interim Assistant Superintendent Steve Slyman said. ​“Our district and community partnership with Jae Boots has been an absolutely positive experience for all of us who’ve had the opportunity to be involved in the project. Community support and dedication to the awareness and prevention of suicide has been humbling to witness. Our schools, students, families, and teachers recognize how fortunate we have been to be involved and part of the Jae Boots Foundation’s on-going efforts.”

Last spring, Ivinson Memorial Hospital and Albany County School District #1 partnered with the Jae Foundation to bring the Jae Boots for High School Seniors program to Albany County. Through the Foundation’s High School Senior Boot Initiative, schools across Idaho and Wyoming invite seniors to hear Jae’s story and take part in what are known as ​“Boot Check Moments.” These moments encourage students to use their new Jae Boots as a reminder to have open, honest conversations about mental health. Each student commits to checking in with someone close to them and to reaching out for help when they’re facing their own challenges.

The Jae Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to mental health awareness and suicide prevention, was founded in memory of Pinedale native Jae Bing, who died by suicide in 2016. Known for his love of cowboy boots and his friends, Jae’s legacy lives on through ​“Jae Boots”, a symbol of hope that inspires open conversations, encourages seeking help and builds a culture of caring for others.

The launch of Jae Boots in Albany County was made possible through Ivinson Memorial Hospital’s commitment to improving community mental health. Through its Community Health Needs funding, Ivinson pledged $10,000 annually to support the program and helped bring together local partners to strengthen mental health resources in Albany County schools.

In 2023, Ivinson identified mental health as a top priority in its Community Health Needs Assessment, a priority that aligns with ongoing efforts to improve mental health across Wyoming. In Laramie, alongside ACSD#1, the Jae Foundation, and other local organizations, Ivinson continues to invest in projects that promote mental wellness.

“Supporting mental health isn’t the job of one person, it’s something we do together,” said Terry Moss, Ivinson’s Chief Operating Officer. ​“As a community, we want to lift each other up and ask for help when we need it. Earlier this year, families and organizations across Albany County came together to support our high school seniors, and we’re proud to do it again with this new class. The Jae Boot workshops don’t tell students to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. They build a community of students and staff walking the halls in their Jae Boots and committed to looking out for one another.”

To learn more about the Jae Foundation, visit https://​jae​foun​da​tion​.com/. For more information on supporting Jae Boots in Albany County, contact Terry Moss at Ivinson Memorial Hospital.

If you or someone you know is struggling, confidential support is available. Call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.