1 / 3

Hope Squad members pass out baked goods at the Studio C Bake Sale held at Mountain View High School on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022.

Ashtyn Asay, Daily Herald

2 / 3

Members of Hope Squad and Studio C advertise the Studio C Bake Sale held at Mountain View High School on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022.

Ashtyn Asay, Daily Herald

3 / 3

The Studio C Bake Sale held at Mountain View High School on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022.

Ashtyn Asay, Daily Herald

❮ ❯

The cast of BYUtv’s “Studio C,” chose to spread joy in a different way on Tuesday.

The family-friendly sketch comedy series partnered with Hope Squad — a nonprofit organization focused on reducing youth suicide through education, training and peer intervention — for the Studio C Bake Sale at Mountain View High School in Orem.

Hope Squad and Studio C cast members baked brownies, cookies and more for the sale, and Orem residents had the opportunity to come and meet their favorite cast members and purchase a sweet treat. All of the proceeds from the bake sale went to benefit the Hope Squad.

According to Tori Pence, Studio C cast member, the bake sale was part of a larger effort the show is making to give back to local communities.

“We wouldn’t be able to make and do the things that we do without the people that watch the show,” she said. “Our mission has always been to bring something good and beautiful to the world and make things just a little bit lighter and brighter, so I feel like that aligned really beautifully with Hope Squad.”

For Gabby Moore, another Studio C cast member, being able to help raise money for suicide prevention is another way for her to help spread the same positivity she shares with viewers on the show.

“Suicide prevention and awareness of that topic is important to me because the age average is coming down,” she said. “What we do overall, as performers of comedy, is we try to spread joy and bring some happiness to people, so I just put those two things together.”

Although suicide impacts people of all ages, it has become increasingly prevalent in younger people. According to the Centers for Disease Control, suicide was the second leading cause of death for people ages 10-14 in 2020.

Alivia Walker, a Hope Squad member, said that volunteers with the organization learn the warning signs of suicide to increase their awareness in their own schools. They also learn about suicide prevention resources that can be given to their peers.

“We’re not therapists ourselves, but we do learn to get people to the help that they need,” she said. “We’re grateful for Studio C for partnering with us and helping us to raise money for mental health awareness.”

For Madeline Palmer, a member of Hope Squad, the Studio C Bake Sale was an opportunity to get to know other volunteers who share the same passion for their cause.

“It’s pretty exciting to get to know all these people that actually care about suicide prevention because it is a serious thing,” she said.

Palmer wants other students her age going through a difficult time to know that they are not alone and that they can always reach out to a member of the Hope Squad.

“Everyone has bad days, and when you have a bad day you want to be able to have someone to talk to, and you want someone who actually knows how you feel,” she said. “If there’s someone who might be feeling sad, or disappointed, or feeling like they have been treated badly, or feeling suicidal, then they can come to Hope Squad because we will help you… we want them to know that they have a purpose and that they do matter.”

Newsletter