Students, teachers and administrators from eight schools congregated at Lehighton High School on Friday in order to spread the word on Aevidum, an organization that focuses on helping youth deal with the struggles of depression and suicide.

A joint operation sponsored by the Bo Tkach Foundation and the Josh Johnson Sunshine Foundation, the Aevidum conference introduced education officials and student representatives to the group, planting the seeds for Aevidum groups in each district in attendance."The core of the Aevidum message is, 'this is a student empowering program,'" Jim Presto, a strong advocate of the program and the Josh Johnson Sunshine Foundation, said. Johnson lost his son, Josh, to suicide in 2014 following a difficult battle with mental illness and drug issues."Everybody understands that when it comes to any kind of problem, kids talk to kids first," Presto said. "So, if we empower the students to drive the awareness program, to spend the time to talk to one another, the tendency for us to be able to identify and help kids that are suffering from mental illness grows."Aevidum - a word that roughly translates to "I've got your back" - began at Cocalico High School in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in 2003. After a student suicide, teachers, administrators, and students banded together to openly discuss mental health issues and ways to facilitate help, along with strategies to express compassion and understanding.Friday's event saw about 120 students and 25 teachers and administrators from Panther Valley, Carbon Career and Technical Institute, Jim Thorpe, Lehighton, Northern Lehigh, Palmerton, Stroudsburg and Nazareth school districts.During the presentation, a group of volunteers came up to the auditorium stage to construct an object from building blocks in under three minutes. The participants made a heart, with the exercise representing an effort to work together and make something better.A breakout session followed, wherein the adults ducked behind the auditorium curtain to discuss their role in helping students with mental health and depression."Let it be the kids' ideas, and start small," Presto said. He emphasized that administrators and teachers were there to help bridge the gap and help students with their unique plans.Students were separated into four sections that represented the core of Aevidum - Accept, Cared For, Appreciate, and Acknowledge. The groups discussed strategies and concepts surrounding their theme, and developed short sketches."Our students create the environment where other students feel safe," Nazareth school psychologist and Aevidum representative Mary Pritchard said. "The skits speak to that - none of these kids knew each other before today. We deliberately, randomly assigned them to the groups so that they're not with their friends, and create that environment where they talk about things that are important, and consistent with the Aevidum message."Sketches included a bit for "Cared For," in which one student hit another with a chair, with a group of fellow students helping the victim up and supporting him. Another student offered to pick up the backpack of a stranger with crutches."It has changed my perspective on a lot of things, and it made me feel better about myself," new Aevidum member Jazzmin Sicher, who has dealt with clinical depression herself, said. "I think that we should all get together as a community and spread this, because it's amazing."Carbon Commissioners Bill O'Gurek, Wayne Nothstein, and Tom Gerhard praised the Aevidum effort and offered their support for future efforts.Toward the end of the day, students were invited to speak about personal experiences with mental health, suicide, and the loss of friends and family. Many told of their own troubles with depression, or losing a friend. However, they emphasized that the group had instilled a passion and desire to reach out and help others."With what I've learned here, my plans are to bring it to my school and let people know that suicide sounds like it's not common, but it really is," Stroudsburg student Benny Pembleton, 15, who lost a friend to suicide, said. "I want to let people know that I'm always here for them, this group's always here for them, and everyone always has someone to be there for them, no matter who it is."Brett Johnson, 17, Presto's nephew and an Aevidum member, was happy with the event, and made note of how the little actions that Aevidum promotes can make big changes."The other day we gave out flowers made of paper and pipe cleaners. We would go up to someone. give them one, and compliment them," Johnson said. "If you make someone's day, if you make them smile and change their mood in any way, to me, that's a good day."