EBC Makes Investment in Lives of High School Students

At the Elizabethtown Boys Club’s (EBC) annual baseball opening day, the board of directors presented a check to Greg Kiehl, Elizabethtown Area School District’s (EAHS) Director of School Services, in the amount of $500 in memory of Ryan Rehrer, towards the high school’s Aevidum program.

Aevidum was started at Cocalico High School over ten years ago as a result of a student suicide. The word Aevidum means, “I’ve Got Your Back.” The initial purpose of Aevidum at Cocalico was to convey that depression is a mental illness, share the warning signs of suicide, and work towards suicide prevention.

The Aevidum program began at EAHS during the 2010-11 school year based on the concern of the district and from data received from the PA Youth Survey. Recent survey data indicated that 21% of EAHS ninth graders are depressed daily or weekly. At least twenty students are involved in the program, along with school counselors.

Activities that Aevidum has begun to do to spread the work about depression and suicide include passing out flyers, creating posters, passing out buttons and bracelets, providing morning announcements and media to students and curriculum in high school health classes.

EBC is extremely supportive of this important program and will provide an annual donation to Aevidum. Information on the program will also be posted on the EBC website and available to all coaches and parents as a way to provide vital information to those in need of mental health and substance use services.