The number of suicide in the United States is alarming. There is that constant jump in the number over the past several years, and Arkansas is one of the states where the highest number of suicide has been reported. This has led the students of Arkansas State University to take a visual approach in creating a suicide prevention awareness program for college students.

According to American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the country, and just in 2015, adolescents and young adults aged 15 to 24 had a suicide rate of 12.5. Statistics has also shown that about 1,000 students commit suicide every year.

What the students from Arkansas State University did was to create awareness for their fellow college students on Tuesday by using a visual approach. They placed around 100 backpacks on the student union front lawn which they called the backpack graveyard, Kait8.com reported. According to event organizer Kalista Holloway, the backpacks represent every student who has committed suicide in college.

When it comes to the rate of college suicides in the country, Arkansas is ranking the 17th.

Holloway explained that they have decided to take a visual approach because they believe it is easier to get people's attention as they try to get their message across. She said that it is more effective rather than have people read statistics and facts about suicide.

Holloway hopes that what they did created an impact on them and opened their eyes to the problem. They were also looking forward to creating a stronger impact with the approach that they have used. Some of the suicide statistics indicated on yellow signs have been hung on some of the bags. They also have contact information of the university's counselling center.

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Topics Suicide, Students