Ending The Silence

Ending the Silence is an in-school presentation designed to teach middle and high school students about the signs and symptoms of mental illness, how to recognize the early warning signs and the importance of acknowledging those warning signs.

Through this free classroom presentation, students get to see the reality of living with a mental health condition. During the presentation, a young adult living with mental illness tells their story about mental health challenges, including what hurt and what helped.

What Students Will Gain?

Moving stories from positive role models have the power to change kid’s views. The discussion gives students the rare opportunity to ask questions about mental health challenges to people who have lived it.

The presentation’s message of empathy and hope encourages students to actively care for themselves and their friends. It also teaches them it’s okay to talk about what they’re feeling.

What Are People Saying?

“NAMI provided the “Ending the Silence” program to our school, working in collaboration with our Health Classes to bring this important message to our students. The program was professionally prepared with current information, and presented in such a way that our students were placed immediately at ease and engaged in the message.” – John A. Glimco, Principal of Pleasantdale Middle School

“The Ending the Silence program has been extremely beneficial to the students at our school. Oftentimes after the presentation, I have students making their own appointments to discuss symptoms of mental health disorders that they recently learned about or who have come to me because they want to help a friend. I think it is extremely important and necessary for teens to have this information!”   
– Adrianne Van Zwoll, Loyola University Chicago, Clinical Social Worker