This week at the Teen Center, it has been a very different type of week here for myself and the teens.

A teen-aged girl who lived in Bath and was known by many local Brunswick, Topsham and Harpswell teens, took her own life Tuesday.

She was not a member of our Teen Program but was known by many of our teens from sports, friends, Roller World or Facebook, and her death has had a profound effect on those who knew her and those who didn’t.

Jessica was a beautiful girl who suffered from depression. It makes me scared for all of our Teen Center members, and sad.

I read every thing I could before coming to work Wednesday on teen suicide: cutting, what teens may be feeling and asking; then spent Wednesday and Thursday with the teens, experiencing some of what they have been thinking and feeling.

They are shaken up, and thanks to Facebook they are very aware and scared about depression, a condition which affects many of their peers.

And of course they are questioning, why did she do it?

Why does she all of a sudden have people who never even knew her posting all these condolences on Facebook? And where were they when she was alive?

Today, the teens showed me a video someone put together, full of pictures of Jessica. She was beautiful and sad.

Since Jessica’s death last Tuesday, there are more teens online talking about how depressed they are. I know some teens who have cried, some are angry, some are scared and many of them could not handle school after the news.

Schools in Bath, Topsham and Brunswick have provided some form of support to students trying to wrap their heads around this. Everyone’s “teen radar” is up, which is good. I think it needs to be!

Lots to ponder from this week. Our hearts go out to her family and friends.

JORDAN CARDONE is the Brunswick-area Teen Center coordinator. The Teen Center is a program of People Plus.