In memory of Allen students and staff members who have passed away, Remembrance Week will be held from April 4-8 to honor the deceased while promoting awareness about mental health issues and safe driving practices, as well as educating students about organ and bone marrow donation.

Senior Kayla Padol organized the event for her Phoenix Independent Study project with the help of support counselor Jennifer Atencio. For Padol, the event mainly centered around her wanting to honor Travis Stryker and Clark Stevens, members of the 2016 class who have passed on.

“I know a lot of people who know one or the other, but the fact that I was so close to both of them and they were both a twin is really heartbreaking,” Padol said. “You’re always like ‘what could I have done?’”

Along with remembering those who have passed on, Padol said she wanted the event to get students to talk about death, its effect and how sometimes it can be prevented.

“I think that it is good for (Remembrance Week) to happen because people need to stop being so shy and tiptoeing around the topic of death and the reasons for it because sometimes death is preventable,” Padol said. “If there are ways that we can prevent it and we’re not because we are too scared to talk about it then that is just useless.”

To memorialize the individuals and promote awareness, Remembrance Week will begin by focusing on topics such as organ donation and a bone marrow drive for freshman Jack Armentrout at Lowery. The following events will be regarding safe driving and mental health awareness. It will end with a student talent show Friday night in honor of classmates who have died.

Atencio said she is hopeful that bringing awareness to mental health can help end the stigma that comes with it.

“Trying to liken [a mental illness] to a student having diabetes or scoliosis or some other medical condition is what I think society is trying to do,” Atencio said. “We definitely want to educate kids about what the signs and symptoms are and encourage them to come forward to speak to someone.”

From mental illness to other issues relating to death, Remembrance Week is designed to allow students to get involved in sensitive issues and celebrate the lives of loved ones.

“Knowing that you can do your part and that you can honor people in a happy way and not cry about them all the time is part of the healing process too,” Padol said. “Just getting people to start conversations about it is what [Remembrance Week] is all about, and honoring the students who all deserve to be honored.”