Teams unite to "Stomp out Stigmas" |
| Posted by Administrator on Apr 01 2009 at 2:05 PM |
Photo by Sarah Mulder
From left: Heather Leapley, a senior family studies major from Coleridge; Shane Riley, a junior geography and history major from Arapahoe and Rachel Prieksat, a senior Spanish and philosophy major from Grand Island share a laugh while walking laps for the Stomp out Stigma Awareness Walk March 28. Priksat, Leapley and Riley walked a total of 170 minutes in remembrance of the 1,100 college students who commit suicide each year. "Suidides are preventable. It's just about opening peoples eyes because it's not the only way out," Prieksat said.
By Sarah Mulder
Managing Editor
Batman's blue and black cape waved wildly. His muscles bulged from the sleeves of his costume. His rosy cheeks made everyone smile. Then, in a flash, Batman darted through a crowd of walkers, giggling all the way.
Noah Pearson, son of tutor and assessment coordinator Keri (and David) Pearson, dressed as Batman to motivate and entertain participants of the Stomp out Stigma Awareness Walk on March 28.
The two-hour walk, sponsored by Active Minds and Collegians for Integration and Accessibility, recognized the 1,100 college students who commit suicide each year.
"If you took the national average of 1,100 suicides and brought it down to UNK, that would be one in every six students on campus," said Kevin Kurtenbach, a junior geography major and Active Minds president from Grand Island. "That could be half of my friends right there."
"We need to open people's eyes that suicide does happen," said David Brandt, assistant director of the academic success office and disabilities service coordinator. "We are fortunate at UNK because we haven't had a suicide in years, and it is because of our efforts here."
Brandt, wife Jan and grandson Aiden walked 55 minutes in remembrance of the suicide victims.
Twenty minutes into the walk, Brandt had already clocked six laps.
"I'm feeling good,' he said.
More than 60 students and faculty members walked laps to remember the suicide victims. Active Minds and Collegians for Integration and Accessibility set a goal of 1,100 minutes of walking pledged for the victims.
However, according to members of both organizations, surpassing 1,100 minutes was not a top priority.
"The numbers don't matter to me. It just shows the dedication people have to the cause," said Cristianne Palmer, a junior family studies major and Active Minds secretary from Hastings.
After 110 minutes of walking and a big gulp of water, Palmer admits she lost count of how many laps she walked.
With 2,598 minutes pledged, Kurtenbach donned a large smile. "Almost 2,600 minutes is phenomenal, but the walk isn't about the minutes. It's about the remembrance."
The students and faculty were also walking to eliminate the stigma of disabilities.
"The word suicide has its own stigma," Kurtenbach said. "It's almost like a dirty word. People don't want to acknowledge that it happens."
Kristin Steinbeck, suicide prevention project director and clinical therapist at the UNK Counseling Center, believes in raising awareness of mental health issues and suicide prevention by talking to a counselor. "A stigma surrounding seeing a counselor is that person is seen as weak or is embarrassed," Steinbeck said. "When in fact, it (visiting a counselor) is none of that."
Counselors, according to Steinbeck and Brandt, are not the only people who can help a student.
"Getting a friend the help they need is just being a friend to a friend," Brandt said.
As the two hours of walking drew to an end, the walker's spirits were still high and smiles were still bright.
"It was actually pretty fun," said Jordan Isaac, a sophomore broadcasting major from Kearney, as he lay flat on a bleacher. With 100 minutes of walking under his belt, Isaac was ready to take a nap.
The strength of Active Minds and Collegians for Integration and Accessibility will transcend to Disabilities Awareness Week next Nov. 16-21. The theme for this year is Stomp out the Stigma Higher Education and Beyond.
According to Brandt, the teaming up of Active Minds and Collegians for Integration and Accessibility for the Stomp out Stigma Awareness Walk is something all UNK student organizations should do more. Through team efforts, Brandt said, "We are more powerful in numbers. If we can incorporate other student organizations in Disabilities Awareness Week, it will help educate the public, and together we can stomp out the stigma."
Active Minds and Collegians for Integration and Accessibility meet every other Thursday. For more information contact Active Minds president Kevin Kurtenbach or Collegians for Integration and Accessibility president Shane Riley.
