Every day nearly 4,000 children under the age of 18 attempt to take their own lives.
Tragically, suicide is the third leading cause of death in this age group.
The issue cuts across social, cultural, and geographic borders. No community is immune to its impact, including Tyrone. Fortunately, two local organizations focus on student mental health awareness and suicide prevention.
The Tyrone High School Aevidum chapter and the Adam Zook Memorial Fund were both founded in response to student suicides and are resources dedicated to providing information and support to Tyrone students.
Aevidum is a national student organization founded in 2003 by students and teachers at Cococalico High School in Lancaster County after a suicide by one of their male students.
Initially called “The Helping Hand” in 2007 it changed its name to Aevidum, a word created by students and means “I’ve got your back.”
Since then the organization has grown to hundreds of clubs in elementary, middle, and high schools and colleges throughout Pennsylvania and beyond, including a chapter at Tyrone Area High School.
“Not only does [Aveidem] strive to spread the recognition of mental health awareness and suicide prevention, it also aims to spread inclusivity in our school district,” Tyrone Aveidem adviser Jessica Koeck said.
The core team is the center of Aevidum, but the initiatives are the branches that connect the community to the heart.
The goal of Aevidum is to make compassion contagious and to create a community of equality for everyone.
Members of Aevidum attend the Out of the Darkness Suicide Awareness Walk every year, to encourage the acceptance of all and to highlight the importance of mental health and suicide awareness.
Another local organization focused on suicide prevention is the Adam Zook Memorial Fund.
Adam was a 2016 graduate of Tyrone High School and a student at Slippery Rock University. He was an avid runner and member of the TAHS cross country and track and field teams. He was also involved in communications and the arts at Tyrone as a writer and editor for the Eagle Eye, a cast member in several TAHS Drama Club musical productions, and a member of both the Mock Trial and Speech Team.
The group was founded by Adam’s older brother Hayden Zook and supports local suicide prevention initiatives, as well as scholarships for Tyrone Area High School graduates.
“We hold three main events per year, our Veterans Breakfast, the Cruise-In for a Cause, and the Adam Zook Memorial Run. Each event has a different, yet equally important purpose,” Hayden Zook said.
Their Veterans Breakfast is a free breakfast for veterans in March that provides a hot meal, resources, and an opportunity to connect with veterans, one of the demographic groups most affected by suicide.
Their Cruise-In for a Cause is held in downtown Tyrone each June. Cars, trucks, and motorcycles join them to raise funds for suicide prevention programs. This year they donated our event proceeds to Victory Therapeutic Horsemanship. They are an equine therapy organization for veterans suffering from PTSD and different health ailments.
The Adam Zook Memorial Run is held every year in September. All event proceeds from the run go towards three $1,000 scholarships at TASD to deserving seniors and to support other local suicide prevention initiatives.
Their organization raises funds primarily through donations and sponsors. The fund is managed through the Central Pennsylvania Community Foundation
According to Zook, their mission involves student recognition, community involvement, and suicide prevention initiatives.
The organization funds three scholarships for Tyrone graduates involved in school programs that exhibit kindness and teamwork.
Committee members include Melissa Kohler, Tammy Wills, Sarah Cox, Kim Webster, Paul Houck, Bobbi Jo O’Brien, Hayden Zook, and Alayna Zook.
As they work to extend our outreach, their future goal is to fund additional training and programming on suicide prevention for students and teachers at Tyrone and develop activities that bring together our community and raise awareness for suicide prevention.
“The Adam Zook Foundation is such a wonderful cause. It brings awareness to suicide prevention initiatives within Tyrone and the surrounding community. It is so important to check in with one another because you never know what someone else might be going through,” said 2022 Adam Zook Memorial Scholarship Award winner Mackenzie Latchford.
On a national level, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is a voluntary health organization that aims to educate those who are not familiar with the loss of a loved one due to suicide and advocate for family and friends impacted by it. AFSP has local chapters in all 50 states including Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico.
AFSP is funded by research grants and generous donations made by volunteers who attend the Out of the Darkness walks which occur in hundreds of communities and cities throughout the United States.
Their contact lines are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call 988 or text 741741 in case of emergency.
Many people mistakenly believe that those who talk about suicide are not likely to act on their words. However, studies have concluded that four out of five suicide victims exhibit warning signs either behaviorally or verbally.
Some behavioral warning signs include withdrawing from friends, taking uncharacteristic or dangerous risks, and extreme mood swings. Verbal signs include talking less, saying things that don’t seem to fit the usual things that a person talks about, or talking about things that are happening in their personal life.
Education and awareness of the problem and the resources available to students is the first step in preventing the tragedy of suicide. If you ort someone you know is having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please seek help.
