On March 22, the student body welcomed John Trautwein, a speaker devoted to bringing awareness to teenage mental health and suicide.

His speech, titled “Life Teammates + the Power to Deliver Hope,” involved his deeply moving firsthand experience with teen suicide.

Trautwein spoke to the 9, 10, 11, and 12th graders to emphasize how many high schoolers deal with mental health. He urged students to talk to each other about how they are really doing, encouraging our school to break the stigma that surrounds mental health.

This speech by Trautwein was a part of the speaker series: Parenting the Teenage Brain, which included other speeches, such as “Raising Boys” and “SEEN: Helping Parents with their Teens.”

All the speeches, in their own way, addressed the often challenging transition to adulthood that all students will eventually face.

One way that Trautwein’s speeched challenged the student body was by placing each and every one of us in a position of responsibility.

If you are a member of the Marist Fam, take a look around at your friends. Who are you checking in on? Who seems down lately? Ask yourself these questions daily and remind yourself that no one is ever alone.

Trautwein highlighted the importance of friendships in high school, especially when schoolwork becomes a chore and college seems like the only goal for most students.

If you are a parent, check in on your children. Trautwein had no idea his son was dealing with such burdens, and his only wish was to go back and ask his son if he was truly okay.

Do not make that same mistake.

One can only hope that Trautwein’s words of wisdom will lead to lasting change across our campus.