Dear readers,
Today, we bring you the first of a six-part series about youth suicide in La Plata County. Specifically, we are bringing you stories focused on solutions for education, services and prevention of suicide among youths ages 10 to 24.
The number of suicides among all ages and genders in the county has increased in the last five years. This includes youths ages 10 to 24. Our community has collectively grieved every loss of family members, friends, neighbors, co-workers, students – even acquaintances. People routinely ask why this is happening, what is being done and what can be done.
This series of written and audio stories is not focused on problems. Instead, the stories are focused on effective responses to problems.
There are many local efforts in place or being put into place to help youths at risk. We look at those efforts and tell you about how they work. We also take a look at other non-local efforts that are evidence-based solutions.
To broaden our storytelling and to reach a wider audience, we have collaborated with Sarah Flower, an audio journalist who works for KDUR, the Fort Lewis College radio station. Flower and Durango Herald staff writer Mary Shinn collaborated on this solutions journalism project. Shinn wrote stories and Flower produced audio stories. This project has been supported by a grant from the Solutions Journalism Network, a nonprofit dedicated to rigorous and compelling reporting about responses to social problems.
In addition to being available to listen to the audio stories on our website, the audio stories will air on KDUR (91.9 or 93.9 FM) at 5 p.m. Monday through Friday beginning Oct. 1. They will also air on KSUT and KUTE public radio stations.
We will provide a unique way for you to comment on our stories online. We want to learn about what emotions you may have felt after reading or listening to a story. Each story will have the option for readers to briefly share their reaction. Registration is not required to comment, but comments will be moderated. Editors will select which comments will be published.
During the publication of the series, these stories will be free to all non-subscribers.
Finally, the reporters and editors who worked on this youth suicide series will explain to our community how we did it and what we learned. Please join us at our Durango Diaries storytelling event at 6 p.m. Oct. 23 at Durango Public Library, 1900 East Third Ave.
Thank you for reading.
Amy Maestas is executive editor of The Durango Herald.
