Ryan’s Story Presentation VIRTUAL option

Program Description

My son’s life story has an effect on students like no other presentation. It is a true story that inspires them to make positive changes in their lives towards reducing bullying, cyberbullying and preventing teen suicides. Students are reached in a deep and profound way to examine their own lives and how they treat others. Bystanders are inspired to no longer stand by and let others get bullied at school or online. There is a very powerful lesson about forgiveness imparted too. They leave this presentation feeling loved, hopeful, and changed. This assembly program does not get into the specifics of the suicide nor does it express an overly simplistic connection between bullying and suicide. I always make the point that I believe that in the end, my son died of an illness called depression that tragically went undetected and untreated. Bullying was probably a contributing factor but there was clearly an underlying mental health issue too. I emphasize to students that if you ever feel suicidal or have a friend you know is suicidal, seek help immediately from an adult. I have received numerous compliments from school psychologists on how well I address both bullying and depression and the delicate intersection of both issues. The student presentation is age-appropriate for grades 5 through 12. The presentation is 60 minutes. It takes 45 minutes to tell the story. They are then given a brief stand and stretch break. For the remaining time, very important lessons are processed from this tragedy. Material is sent well ahead of the presentation to help you prepare and post-process the presentation with your students.