Caylee Mastin should be with us at our graduation ceremony. It's unacceptable that Milford administration is chosing to ignore her memory, arguing that it would promote suicide. We believe, quite the opposite, it would raise awareness about a severe issue that too many youths face today.

Suicide is a leading cause of death for young adults, particularly students. The Centers for Disease Control reports suicide as the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 10 and 34. Recognition of Caylee at our graduation is a crucial step towards starting a dialog about mental health and suicide prevention in our society.

It is our belief that integrating Caylee’s memory into our graduation is a way to shed light on the topic of suicide rather than conveniently burying it. No one should have to feel the pain Caylee did and feel as if they have no one to turn to or no other options. 

In honoring Caylee, we will be reminding our community of the importance of vigilance, of reaching out, of creating safe spaces. On behalf of Caylee and all the students that battle mental health issues daily, we are asking for your support.

Please, sign this petition and demand Milford acknowledges Caylee Mastin in our graduation. They need to understand that this isn't promoting suicide; it's raising awareness of an overwhelmingly severe reality. Help us make sure Caylee's fight—and the fight of millions of other students—doesn't go unnoticed.