Navigating mental health issues can often seem like a daunting task, especially for teenagers. But on Wednesday morning, Eastchester High School students heard from a pair of young adults whose own life experiences teach that, sometimes, the smallest gestures can have a profound impact on the world around them.
John Tessitore and Kevin McMahon of the JCK Foundation visited EHS this week to speak about the importance of communication about mental health, using their own stories to illustrate how the creation of welcoming environments and true friendships can positively impact mental health.
The JCK Foundation was established ten years ago in memory of John Clever Kelly—an Irvington resident who battled obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression before passing away in 2011. Kelly served as both a friend and mentor to Tessitore, who founded the group in order to honor Kelly’s endless support and love for his friends while promoting connection and community as key building blocks to improving mental health.
Tessitore said his organization is focused on giving teens the emotional tools they need to have important conversations about mental health with their friends, family and trusted adults, and that these conversations are an important first step to identifying and addressing mental health issues.
“One person can make all the difference and being able to open up to a friend can allow someone to be more honest about who they are,” he said. “And because of those discussions, they might tell themselves ‘it’s OK to go to a therapist, it’s OK for me to talk to a teacher.’
“Just being able to have these conversations can help to really lift a weight off a kid’s shoulders and help them feel more like themselves,” he added.
McMahon, who noted that the JCK Foundation visits roughly 60 school districts each year, said that the organization tailors its message to teens by exploring topics around mental health that its members felt were overlooked during their own school days.
“It’s really born out of what we felt we lacked when we were in school, and that’s kind of how we build the program,” he said. “But we realize that everyone is unique, so we pride ourselves in trying to build communities where you can feel heard, validated and supported.”
Wednesday’s assembly was made possible through collaboration between the EHS PTA and administrators, who both viewed the JCK Foundation’s message as a vital one for teens to hear. EHS Principal Dr. Jeffrey Capuano said that he believes that parents and students alike can benefit from hearing the group’s message.
“I think what we saw today was two very cool, young individuals willing to share their issues and their challenges,” said Capuano. “They used words like empathy, compassion, vulnerability and self-acceptance, and I believe that, if our kids can do that for themselves and their friends in the same context as we heard from John and Kevin, that’s an amazing thing.”
In addition to assemblies and student talks, the JCK Foundation also holds workshops for students, parents and staff on effective ways of fostering more inclusive environments in school and beyond. On March 7, the group will be presenting at a meeting of the EHS PTA, which will serve as a parent follow-up to the message from Wednesday’s assembly.
“It’s kind of like bridging that gap between the parent and the kid because that’s hard sometimes,” said Tessitore. “A lot of times, kids will play down some of these issues because of a fear—or a perceived fear—of letting their parents down, so we really try to give parents these tools to have these empathetic conversations with their children.”
EHS PTA 