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‘We've got your back': WASHS students focus on suicide prevention

Waynesboro Area Senior High School students recently got a 'brain break' while learning about mental health and suicide prevention. The WASHS Aevidum Club hosted its third Aevidum Strides Against Stigma on May 8. Coming up on May 24: 'Tangled' is the theme of Waynesboro Area Senior High School prom Aevidum is Latin for 'I've got your back,' according to Amanda Eddy, a WASHS counselor and club adviser. The Waynesboro club is part of a national organization which, according to its website, 'empowers youth to shatter the silence surrounding depression, suicide and other issues facing teens … Aevidum inspires schools and communities to adopt cultures of care and advocacy, encouraging all members to have their friends' backs.' The club was formed at WASHS after several students committed suicide and 'we knew something had to change,' Eddy said. The club grew out of the idea that students are often more likely to talk to each other rather than adults. The club is 'focused on shattering the stigma and shedding light on mental health awareness,' Eddy said. 'Suicide prevention is our overall goal.' Brianna Nickel, now a senior and Aevidum treasurer, helped start the club. She remembers thinking, 'What can we do to make sure this does not happen again?' She was one of the club members wearing yellow T-shirts that said 'We've Got Your Back' at the Aevidum Strides Against Stigma. They handed out cards with stress release tips as the school year comes to an end with lots of testing. Club members also shared mental health facts as 'commercial breaks' while their fellow students took Strides Against Stigma on the track, where signs like this were displayed on the fence: 'You are loved. You are worthy. You are enough.' 'One step at a time. You can make it through. Progress, not perfection.' 'It's never too late to start prioritizing your mental health.' The 'brain break' included fun components like face-painting, bracelet making, games and the popular 'Dunk the Teacher.' This article originally appeared on Waynesboro Record Herald: Waynesboro Area Senior High School Aevidum Club promotes mental health