On Tuesday, Active Minds put on a campaign to spread awareness of suicide and mental health.  From 10 AM until around 4 PM 1,100 backpacks (the number of American college students who commit suicide every year) littered the green.  Several of them had notes from relatives of a student that had committed suicide.

“It’s so sad,” one girl said.  One student just said “Wow”.

There were tables set up supporting Active Minds of the Center for Health and Wellbeing distributing information and pamphlets.  One table had a poster that students were signing to show their support.  (“Big Bird” was also written on the poster…)

Signs with facts about suicide were stuck in the middle of the crowd of backpacks.  Many people stood around and looked at the demonstration.  Many others were taking pictures.

If you would like more information on Active Minds or depression, you can visit www.activeminds.org or consult UVM’s Counseling Services.

-Big Bird