The Making My MarkTM student presentation is a suicide awareness and prevention education program geared towards students, middle school through college age. The program is a multi-modal presentation: PowerPoint, video, and interactive peer-led discussion. The Making My Mark program length is flexible to accommodate class length and group size. A typical program is 45 to 60 minutes. It can be presented during assemblies; club periods; physical education, health, science, and studies/humanities classes; and at after-school activities. The Making My Mark program is also highly recommended for parent/teacher organizations and for school counselors.
“After the Making My Mark presentation at my school, I knew I could make a difference. I started a Post It Note validation day that turned out to encourage discussion and different attitudes.” – Anderson (SC) District 1 Student
Every student receives a wrist band with the Making My Mark website on the outside and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline embossed on the inside. During the presentation, the presenter emphasizes that those who choose to wear the wristband also choose to be available to their peers to provide empathy, understanding, support, and access to resources.
Topics Covered
- Stereotypes about suicide
- The prevalence of suicide
- Possible warning signs
- Warning signs of suicide and statistics
- One or two short stories of families affected by mental health disorders and/or suicide
- Myths vs. Facts regarding suicide
- Prevention and resources
As of early 2019, more than 2,000 students have participated in Making My Mark presentations in South Carolina. At the end of every presentation, between 2% and 6% of students speak up about their struggles and get help.
Click on this link to schedule a presentation or write to [email protected] for more information.