San Jose Teens Win State Prize for Suicide Prevention Video

In 2009, there was an unprecedented amount of what ABC News calls a “cluster of [teen] suicides” in the affluent city of Palo Alto, California. The deaths occurred over an alarmingly brief six month period, with a total of four teens taking their own lives by jumping in front of a local commuter train.

Today, Gunderson High School students in nearby San Jose have chosen to address the issue.

A scene from “You’re Not Alone,” a suicide prevention video by San Jose teens. Photo credit: SCVMED

Jessica Lamping and Joel Lopez won second place in a statewide contest for their video “You’re Not Alone” in the Suicide Prevention Category, which aims to help teens know that they are not alone. “Things may seem dark right now” Lopez appeals in the video, encouraging teens to talk to a friend, family member, or coach if they have increasing thoughts on death and suicide. The contest was held by California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA) in “support of efforts to prevent suicide, reduce stigma and discrimination related to mental illness and promote the mental health and wellness” of those at risk.

The four teens who took their own lives in 2009 were either current or prospective students at Gunn High School, an acclaimed school in the Palo Alto area.

“The deaths occurred over an alarmingly brief six month period, with a total of four teens taking their own lives by jumping in front of a local commuter train.”

“It’s more than a coincidence at this point,” a woman stated after a local meeting to address the issue, “I almost wonder if it’s becoming this sort of siren call to kids in this area who are not feeling well.” UCSF child psychiatrist Dr. Stuart Lustig states that “I think that does suggest that there is a phenomenon at work.”

Photo credit: free-extras.com

With as many as five percent of teenage suicides occurring in clusters, it is integral for young adults who are feeling lost to know that help is available.

The string of suicides also resulted in the creation of HEARD, a Palo Alto committee comprised of pediatricians, schools, police and community agencies who share the same goal of “trying to find a way to address the suicide pattern that still resonates with the community today.”

Watch the award-winning video below: