Sprague High School ASB students promoted a “Choose to Stay” suicide prevention event for Oct. 9, 2021 in a school video. (YouTube screenshot)
Sprague High School’s student government leaders and the Brown family will be giving out pumpkins Saturday.
The Choose to Stay Pumpkin Patch fundraiser runs from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the school’s sophomore parking lot at 2373 Kuebler Blvd S. It pays tribute to Aaron Brown, a junior and choir student who died by suicide in the fall of 2018.
Brown’s parents, David, who teaches choir at Sprague, and DeLee, a district teacher, have established a memorial scholarship at Sprague for a graduating senior in choir who’s staying in Salem to attend college or trade school. Proceeds from the event will fund the scholarship.
Sprague students have painted inspiring messages on pumpkins including “Choose to Stay.” People are invited to come by the school Saturday to take a pumpkin and make a donation. The event include a “Choose to Stay” walk, other activities and complimentary food.
“The Browns’ message is Choose to Stay. Their desire in providing this pumpkin patch to the community is to spread hope, promote mental health and suicide prevention,” an event description read.
-Rachel Alexander
