The Marion County Coalition for Suicide Prevention wants to take a different approach to their upcoming student program at Knoxville High School — an approach intended to involve students more directly in the discussion.

The school district is planning on devoting an entire day to discussion of preventing suicide; but instead of an assembly and a presentation, the coalition wants to make it into a conference.

Students would get an introductory presentation, and then select one of several breakout sessions; they would be able to take part in up to three sessions, involving a variety of topics.

The session subjects have been chosen by the students themselves; about 300 Knoxville High School students took a survey asking them to choose the topics in which they would be most interested.

The day will include a keynote address by Chris Norton; he was left paralyzed after being injured in a college football game, and speaks with students about how he overcame adversity…and how they can do the same in their lives.

The conference is scheduled for Monday, April 1st; this will be a late start day for the school district, so the event will begin around 10:00 a.m.