Written by Sadie Zagwoski
Aevidum is a club which focuses on promoting mental health and suicide prevention awareness within our school. The word “Aevidum” was created using Latin roots, translating to “I’ve got your back.” The club was created by students of CocalicoHigh School, after they lost a classmate to suicide. Since then,numerous schools in the state have joined the movement. Wallenpaupack Area is one of twenty schools in the area participating in the program. Unlike most of our school clubs, this one is student-led. Back in October, two seniors, Erika Badner and Jordan Santiago, were selected by counselors and administrators to start Aevidum. The two later selected seven more students to lead it with them: Justin Blanding, Ella Smith, Soleil Wright, Joseph Pettinato, Sarah Niemiec, Jaylin Gaston, and Victoria Latek. If you have any questions about Aevidum, each of these nine students is available to help! You can easily reach out to any of them via email by searching their name on Outlook.
I interviewed Mrs. McGinnis, who is the faculty advisor of Aevidum, to learn more about this new club and all it entails. Her favorite part of Aevidum is “listening to students have a voice to make this school a better place to be in.”
She has said that during meetings, she sits back and truly watches the students take the initiative. They are planning a quite impactful first project, which entails yellow papers cut into the shape of hands which will be displayed around the school. There will be more than a thousand of them, as each student, administrator, faculty, and staff member will have one with their name on it. This project promotes the idea that everyone is seen and recognized. It will also engage students, as the new decorations will draw attention and potentially increaseattendance at meetings.
Aevidum meets in the auditorium every Wednesday during Advisory Block. If you would like to attend, you must fill out the form from Mrs. McGinnis, which can be found in Outlook. This form should be filled out before next Wednesday, which is the next scheduled meeting. If you decide that Aevidum is a club that you would like to join, you do not have to fill out the form again, you simply let Mrs. McGinnis know that you’d like to be a permanent member. If you decide that it is not for you, there is no pressure to join. Let Mrs. McGinnis know if you will not be attending further meetings so she can keep an organized list of permanent members.
During meetings, members will work towards the goal of making this school a better place through mental health-based campaigns. If you have any further questions, you may reach out to Mrs. McGinnis via email or visit her office in guidance. You may also contact any of the nine students which have been listed previously.
