Arvin High School Stops Suicide With SALT Walk

ARVIN, Calif. (KERO) — After alleged bullying and a student who took his own life in August, Arvin High School is trying to make sure everyone knows about the dangers of suicide.

Esports coach April Perez said that after playing on the team for four years, the student took his own life after graduation. The school is now teaming up to raise awareness for the cause through the SALT Walk.

“This is our second annual walk that we’ve organized,” Perez said. “We started last year in memory of a team member who took his own life.”

SALT stands for Save a Life Today, and that’s what community members did Monday, Oct. 24 at Arvin High to raise awareness about suicide.

“We need to start educating the community about suicide and our youth because during COVID, the suicide rate among the general population has gone down, except for our teenagers, and especially teenagers of color. So we have to reach our kids,” said SALT President and Founder Ellen Eggbert. “Suicide is never a single cause. Bullying could be the icing on the cake, and we’d like to say ‘oh, it’s the bully, the bully, the bully,’ and it could be the last straw for someone.”