Students sit quietly in the darkened performing arts center on a late October day, gathered for a topic whispered, rather than discussed out loud: suicide. 

“I think it’s very important, as I don’t think the school system really accommodates for the people within it,” sophomore Ethan Gastmeier said.

Sophomores and seniors attended a suicide prevention presentation on Oct. 29 hosted by the organization Know Resolve. It intended to combat the rising rates of suicide amongst teenagers. The presentation covered aspects of mental illness, such as depression and anxiety, as well as healthy methods for coping with them. 

“Education is power,” counselor Jennifer Kretschmer said.

The counselor’s office saw an increase in student traffic since the presentation. The presentation helped students find a way to receive help.

“I do think it was effective,” Gastmeier said. “I could definitely relate to parts of it.”