Students and staff walking to show support for students struggling with depression
A group of teachers have banded together to become the leading force in addressing a serious issue affecting Wenatchee High School: suicide.
The first annual “Be the Light” suicide awareness walk is scheduled for Oct. 9. The aim of the event is to show students they have a community behind them, according to French teacher and event organizer Jon Magnus. Students and staff from both Eastmont High School and WHS are invited to meet at the WHS track about two hours prior to the football game, and walk down to the Apple Bowl together to show their support.
Journalism adviser Dave Riggs and Magnus led the drive for organizing the suicide/depression awareness event, with the help of other faculty and first-year WHS Principal Eric Anderson. “I think there are a few of us that have been really directly touched by suicide… There was a student (last spring) who really struggled, and had spoken to us a lot about it, and so that was kind of the birth of the conversation,” Magnus said.
With such a community event, it was important to Magnus and Riggs to have as much student involvement as possible.
“We wanted this to be a student project as well, so we reached out to the art teachers and they reached out to their students,” Magnus said.
Art students junior Cameron Kunz and senior TJ Harris were directly involved in designing the shirts that will be handed out to participants on the night of the walk.
“Mr. Collins asked for a logo… I definitely think [the walk] is needed,” Kunz said. “It gives people a chance to tell their story and find resources to help.” [Be The Light] gives people a chance to tell their story and find resources to help. — Cameron Kunz, Junior
The “Be the Light” theme aims to focus on the positive: “Each and every person can be the light for somebody else,” Magnus said.
In the 2014-15 school year, WHS lost two students to suicide. Magnus says that the goal of the walk and other suicide awareness programs at WHS is to see “a de-stigmatization of suicide, and to help people understand that they’re not alone. There’s lots of help out there, you just have to know where to find it.”
Suicide Prevention Coalition of North Central Washington • Oct 9, 2015 at 8:46 am
Everyone can be a part of Suicide Prevention!! Showing you care. Asking the Question. Then getting someone help is a start. Locally you can call the Chelan Douglas Crisis Line at 509-662-7105 for a friend, family member or yourself. There is also the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 that is available anywhere in the USA.