Press Release from the A.C. Reynolds High School Parent Teacher Student Association:
The first walk of its kind will be held on Wednesday, October 18th, 2023. The walk is being held at A.C. Reynolds High School, hosted by the school’s Parent Teacher Student Association. Community members wishing to attend will be joint hundreds of thousands of people across the country who are walking to prevent suicide and support the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention’s mission to save lives through awareness, and bring support & hope to those affected by suicide.
“We are so proud of, and grateful to, the school’s administration for hosting a community suicide awareness walk on campus. Our community is hurting, and our children are at risk. Suicide awareness events are about getting accurate information out there, but the subject can feel ominous.” states Christine Aiken, who is the PTSA’s VP, responsible for student advocacy at A.C. Reynolds High School. “We are combatting misinformation spread in social media, and sometimes, a complete void of information. As I researched the subject, I found most kids didn’t know where to begin to reach out for help. Others were scared there would be negative consequences to calling a helpline. We are going to provide information via audio, visual, written, physical and technological means, to help attendees absorb the information in whatever way they best learn.”
The event has attracted some of the area’s leading mental health professionals including Dr. Rhonda Karg, a Clinical Psychologist, and Jill Williams, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker to speak at the event. In addition, mental health workers from the school staff, as well as independent practices around Asheville will be volunteering to provide support and connection at the event. The messaging is designed to reduce reluctance in talking about suicide, provide important information, and give hope to those affected by mental health issues.
The A.C. Reynolds High School Parent Teacher Student Association was approached by a school family that recently lost a loved one to suicide. The family wishes to raise awareness, but also normalize talking about suicide.
“Only 1% of calls to 988 lead to hospitalization without patient consent, according to their website statics. Professionals do a great job of lining up mental health with physical health. If you develop an ear infection, your doctor treats you while you remain home. If you develop depression with suicidal thoughts, your mental health provider would treat you in a similar manner. Both a mental and medical health crisis, where you are in immediate danger of losing your life, require emergency action.” Aiken says. “If there is one take away from this event, I hope it is to alleviate any fears about reaching out for help. Don’t make a permanent decision based on a temporary problem.”
The event concludes with a physical demonstration designed to show where reaching out for help can lead. “If you reach out for help, you won’t just be lifted up in that instant. You can go on to build a support team. You can live on to find your passion, build your tribe, and reach new heights.” says Aiken.
The event is open to the public, family friendly, wheelchair/ stroller accessible,and free.
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.