Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among people age 15 to 24 in the U.S. Nearly 20 percent of high school students report serious thoughts of suicide, and 9 percent have made an attempt to take their lives, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
With teen suicide on the rise, a local group, Zero Reasons Why, was formed. We had the opportunity to speak with an adult leader, Davis Finley, as well as teen leaders, Ava Shropshire and Kripa Gauba.
Follow Zero Reasons Why here or the local group here.
Meet Kripa Gauba
Kripa is a sophomore at Blue Valley West and is in her second year on the campaign. She has been a part of Zero Reasons Why events such as Advocacy Day at the Capital and presenting at Iola High School.
Meet Ava Shropshire
Ava is a recently graduated high school senior from Overland Park, KS. She is fascinated by stories – the collections of ideas and experiences that make us human. From the books on her shelves to everyday conversations, she yearns to learn from others and use her creativity as a catapult for connections.
Meet Davis Finley
Davis was born and raised in Kansas City and was also homeschooled throughout his childhood. He graduated from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, MO and received a Masters of Divinity from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He began working on the Zero Reasons Why campaign in January of 2021 where he contributes to the campaign with photography, videography, writing, event planning, and storytelling.
What We’re Loving In Kansas City For Our Mental Health
The Market at Meadowbrook
Therapy and Calendars
Simply said, Megan loves therapy. She highly recommends it on the regular for everyone. She also has printed free blank calendars and filled them in for the summer to put on the fridge.
Thank you to our episode sponsor!
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Connect with Megan and Sarah
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