Back to Newsroom
Back to Newsroom

"Be the Light" Suicide Prevention Event to be Held on Aug 24th at Plant High School Football Game

Thursday, 23 August 2018 08:10 AM

Topic:

Students Come Together to Give "Friday Night Lights" a New Meaning

TAMPA, FL / ACCESSWIRE / August 23, 2018 / Plant High School students will come together for the first annual "Be the Light" Suicide Prevention Awareness event on Friday, August 24, 2018.

The "Be the Light" event is to help raise awareness about suicide prevention and mental health issues. The World Health Organization reports that over 800,000 people worldwide die by suicide each year. This corresponds to one death by suicide every 40 seconds. The number of lives lost each year through suicide exceeds the number of deaths due to homicide and war combined. Recent high-profile deaths by suicide include designer Kate Spade, comedian Robin Williams and musician Avicii. Unlike other major threats to public health such as heart disease, smoking, infectious diseases and cancer, whose death rates have declined in the last few decades, suicide rates have dramatically increased.

The "Be the Light" founder and Plant High School junior, Lucy Morris, said "Life is too dark for too many. But everyone has potential to be the light in someone else's darkness. This event is a time for us to start shining light into the lives of others, especially those who are feeling depressed or suicidal. Evidence shows that those with suicidal thoughts actually benefit from talking openly about their feelings. We want people who are thinking about suicide to know that there is help available and people who want to listen."

The event will be held during half time of the Varsity Plant football game against Hillsborough. Students will don glow sticks and glow necklaces and wear "Be the Light" t-shirts while the band, dance team, cheerleaders, JROTC, and members of SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) will wear teal & purple ribbons to show support.

"Darkness, like depression, is temporary. But suicide is permanent," says Morris, who was personally impacted by suicide at the age of ten when her beloved cousin died by suicide. "My hope is that we can make "Be the Light" an encouraging reminder at Plant and at all high schools across the country."

About H.B. Plant High School

H.B. Plant High School is a public high school located in Tampa, Florida, United States. The school motto is "Strength Through Unity." Plant High School has an enrollment of 2,500 students. http://plant.mysdhc.org/school_Information

About "Be the Light"

Be the Light is a movement started by a concerned high school student to help high school students who are struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts. The genesis for the event was the Girl Scouts Gold Award program. https://www.girlscouts.org/en/our-program/highest-awards/gold-award.html

Media Contact

Lucy Morris, Founder
Be the Light
773-454-9080
[email protected]

SOURCE: Be the Light

Topic:
Back to newsroom
Back to Newsroom
Share by: