EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. — Tables filled with important resources filled the hallway of East Stroudsburg High School South.
Students were collecting money and raising awareness about suicide prevention and mental health issues.
“I think people really don’t realize the seriousness of it but it’s definitely something everyone should know and be aware of,” said Ava Bauer, senior.
For the third year in a row, the school held its “Casual Day for the Cause of American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.”
Participating students donated a dollar and got to dress down.
“This is a great cause. It was brought to me by students. We know mental health and suicide is something that impacts every community. It doesn’t matter what your demographic is, it doesn’t matter what your age is. What we want to do is encourage students to feel comfortable to talk about it, know the resources and seek out help when they need it,” said Michael Healey, a teacher at East Stroudsburg High School South.
Raising awareness for this cause is personal to students and staff here. Because in the last four years, two students took their own lives.
“Suicide really hit our community hard and it really brought us together to try and find something to stop it,” said Bauer.
Students got a wristband, ribbons, stacks of pamphlets and “Lifeline Talkline” contact cards.
Instead of just putting them in their backpacks, they were asked to leave them throughout the community.
“I think what we are doing here, getting out the number, getting out suicide prevention information and just doing as much as we can do in our school and in our community, whatever we can do, even just one person, it will matter,” said Kate Briegel, Sophomore.
All money raised from the dress down will go to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Source: wnep.com
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