Wayland High School is collaborating with Families for Depression Awareness to host a concert on May 15th. A Boston-based Beatles band, Beatlejuice, will be performing in Concord.

It is expected that many people of all ages will show up, as Beatlejuice plans to play all of the classic hits of The Beatles, including such all time favorites as “Let it Be” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”

Guidance Department Head Marybeth Sacramone described Families for Depression Awareness as “a great organization whose mission is to help families recognize and cope with depressive disorders, to help kids and families deal with their depression, and to prevent suicides.”

The organization has received numerous sponsorships and has collaborated with others to carry on their mission by hosting this concert.

The Wayland High School community, as the only high school collaborating with the organization to bring this concert, is excited to be part of a good cause.

“As a school and community, we work with families who are touched by depression and other mood disorders in their lives, so when our department was asked to help promote this event, we were happy to be a supporter,” said Sacramone.

According to the Families for Depression Awareness Web site, “Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people. Ninety percent of people who take their lives have a mental illness, usually a depressive disorder.”

In addition to the performance by Beatlejuice, Allyson Tolbert, Miss Largo of 2008, will speak about her own experience with depression and her platform to increase mental health awareness. Also, a 15-year-old teen with bipolar disorder will talk about how there is hope for teens who have been diagnosed with a depressive disorder.

“If this event can raise money to help one student, one family, or save even just one life, we want to help,” said Sacramone.

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The concert is going to be held at the Emerson Umbrella Theater in Concord this Thursday. Tickets cost $20 in advance, $25 at the door and $10 for children 12 and under. They can be purchased from the following Web site: (http://www.acteva.com/go/familyaware)

Collaborators: Adolescent Wellness, Inc., Wayland High School, Heated Lions Enterprises, Needham Youth Commission, Massachusetts Suicide Prevention Coalition, Concord SPED PAC, Massachusetts Association for Mental Health, Inc., McLean Hospital, 100.7 WZLX Classic Rock