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Teen Esteem+ has delivered a positive message of hope and encouragement to students in the Tri-Valley for three decades.
Founded by Linda Turnbull in 1994, Teen Esteem+ has equipped students to make informed choices, has empowered them with tools to avoid risky behaviors, and has provided parents with valuable information and resources to help them navigate the ongoing challenges of parenting. The key message to students in grades K-12 is that their lives matter, their value is not based on what they do but on who they are, and that everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity.
The information has been well-received, and teachers have invited the nonprofit back year-after-year.
Monte Vista High School teacher Jennifer Mattinson said, “Teen Esteem+ is by far the most popular of our guest speakers at Monte Vista. The students love the relevance of the topics and the dynamic energy of the speakers.”
Osi Juergens, principal at Danville’s Vista Grande Elementary School, added, “Teen Esteem gave my students the opportunity to really believe in themselves, and we now utilize that in every single one of our classrooms. That message has rippled through my campus.”
The program initially targeted high school freshmen but has expanded — at the request of schools — to include programs for middle school and elementary school students. Early curriculum centered on equipping students on how to build healthy relationships then incorporated the risks of substance abuse including prescription drugs and has evolved over the years to cover depression, anxiety and suicide, social media and the use of smartphones.
One of the most powerful demonstrations speakers have used over the decades is the teacup illustration. Students are asked how they might see themselves — a disposable red plastic solo cup which has no value; an everyday coffee mug; or a fine China teacup that was an heirloom from their grandmother. The message is that they’re all fine China teacups, have unique value and are irreplaceable. Their life has value, and they matter.
Robert Kathan, a health teacher at Granada High School in Livermore, spoke of students coming back to him as a type of check-in, if they’re having a down day, they will tell him they feel like a solo cup. He states, “We talk, we chat, and then later they come back and say, ‘Before I felt like a solo cup, but today, I’m a teacup!'”
Surveys returned by students after the presentation show 97% feel empowered to make good decisions. Teen Esteem+ presented to 18,000 students last school year. Given the high levels of stress and anxiety students are facing, the nonprofit and teachers have worked together in providing help for students who identified they were struggling. Last school year, 112 students were connected with a school counselor after a Teen Esteem+ presentation.
Most high school and middle school presentations are done in a classroom setting, while presentations for K-5 grades are done through an assembly format. Teen Esteem+ parent education events are done through school and community workshops, in-home events, Lunch and Learns and on social media. A variety of topics are offered and include “How to Raise Kids to Have Grit & Resilience”, “Strategies for Being Your Child’s Go-To Person” and “Kids and Their Screens”.
Teen Esteem+ has an upcoming community event “Unpacking the Anxious Generation” on Oct. 22. There will be a panel of experts who will discuss the pros and cons of smartphones, social media, and Jonathan Haidt’s New York Times best-selling book, “The Anxious Generation”. The goal is to provide practical tools and strategies for parents of kids of all ages. Registration is open at teenesteem.org/events.
Teen Esteem’s 30th anniversary gala celebration, “30 & Thriving”, will be at Blackhawk Museum next Friday (Sept. 13). Organizers promise a fun and impactful evening, with Wendy Hagan as mistress of ceremonies and Golden State Warriors hype man Franco Finn as auctioneer.
Stories of how students’ and parents’ lives have been impacted by TE+ will be shared. There will be a live auction and a fund-a-program helping raise funds for the current school year. See teenesteem.org/30years for ticket and sponsorship information.
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