Payton Wurtz | staff writer
September is Suicide Awareness and Prevention Month. This year, Yellow Ribbon and Fellowship of Christian Athletes clubs put together a week of activities and events to promote mental health and bring attention to suicide prevention.
Tuesday, secretary Jeanne Parry played inspiring music over the intercom during passing periods to celebrate Wellness Week. The music was supposed to be played Monday for “Music Monday” but due to teacher inservice day, there was no school.
Thursday, mental health liaison Sarah Eckstein and counselor Wendy Leenerts addressed the entire school in a short assembly. They played a series of short interviews of people who have had a family member commit suicide, or have attempted it themselves.
“I really enjoyed the videos and it gave me a fresh perspective on suicide. The videos gave us something to relate to. One of the people who had attempted suicide was a professional football player, and it really helped me realize that even though someone has a seemingly glamorous life, they can still struggle,” sophomore Taryn Maike said.
After seeing the video, senior Kwinton Willier said that he is going to pay closer attention to warning signs and red flags from peers and family members and not dismiss something he may have thought just to be weird.
“I always try to stay on the positive side, but there are things that will kind of sometimes bother me. I just have to remember that there are people around me who love me and a community that supports me,” junior Miguel Hernandez said.
Pictured above: Students watch videos of people who have been affected by suicide to promote awareness of national Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Photo by Heather Baker.
The Charger 
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