Sixth Graders Raise Suicide Awareness - KGWN –Cheyenne, WY– Scottsbluff, NE News,Weather, Sports

Sixth Graders Raise Suicide Awareness

Suicide is one of the biggest problems we face with our nations youth and really there are no simple answers.

Last week Grace for 2 Brothers Foundation sponsored a suicide awareness week at Cheyenne high schools and junior highs.

This week they held a special contest for sixth graders to continue promoting awareness.

Art. It's a simple yet unlimited form of expression. This week sixth graders used art as a way to show their peers suicide is never the right answer.

74 sixth graders from Freedom, Hobbs, Buffalo Ridge and Rossman Elementary volunteered their artwork to promote anti-suicide and in hopes of receiving $500 for their school's art program, but it was Melanie Doughty of Buffalo Ridge Elementary who's art was named the best.

"The sunset is like why you shouldn't because you would miss it. Then I have words like 'Do the right thing' and 'Stand tall', 'Smile forever' and I have candy because it's sweet," Doughty said.

Melanie entered the contest to be an example for other people.

"I would like to help the people that think they need help because they want to do suicide, to tell them that they shouldn't because they only have one life and you shouldn't ruin it," Doughty said.

The theme for the contest was "Life is Sweet" and when the final judge looked at Melanie's she thought it hit the mark.

"She gave lots of reasons why life is sweet and why it shouldn't be wasted. She also did an artists statement that I thought was thoughtful and personal," said Georgia Rowswell, contest judge.

Melanie was most excited about winning $500 from Taco John's for her school and helping out her art class.

"Anything that we can do to help prevent it, that's our role as members of the community is to help out in any way shape or form," said Steve Smyth of Taco John's.

"I think it's nice because I get to help the school raise some stuff that they need," Doughty said.