OUR IMPACT
Transforming Young Lives Worldwide
Fifty percent of mental illness occurs before age 14, and suicide is the second-leading cause of death for young people. While these realities are serious, Erika’s Lighthouse addresses them with hope, positivity, and practical solutions.
We believe every student should have the knowledge and tools they need to care for their mental health. Because of generous, community-minded supporters, we are able to provide high-quality, comprehensive depression education and suicide prevention curriculum to school districts across the country at zero cost.
REAL STORIES OF CHANGE
Our Inspiring Mission
School Success Stories
Stories from schools around the world changing their culture through programs.
Moments of Hope
Testimonials from students, educators, supporters and more that demonstrate our impact.
Supporter Impact Stories
Donors and supporters seeing the impact of their contributions on youth mental health.
DATA-BASED IMPACT & OUTCOMES
The Evidence of Impact
Impact Dashboard
Real-time and historical program use from schools around the world using our programs.
Outcomes Dashboard
Every program has pre/post evaluations that schools, states and you can access in real-time.
Expert-led Studies
We collaborate with experts to promote ongoing evaluation of our programs and impact.
MEANINGFUL IMPACT THAT LASTS
School Success Stories
How One Ohio Educator Helped a Student Recognize the Signs of Depression and Saved a Life
When Amy Gladman began teaching mental health education in rural Ohio, her goal was simple: help students understand...
2025-26 SY DATA
Impact Dashboard
1,742,036
students impacted
717,465
families engaged
85,339
staff equipped
5,389
schools
51
states + dc
38
countries
TESTIMONIALS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Moments of Hope
I am now more open minded towards those suffering with depression and I also now have better references to refer friends to seek help.
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Aurelia
Student
We were scheduled to do a different two part lesson on depression but Erika's Lighthouse was a much better fit for our sophomores. We used the first lesson in its entirety and did lessons 2 and 3 as a combination as we had enough time.
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Britta
School Counselor from Illinois
From a counselor position, this organization is amazing and I very much appreciate all it's doing to better the lives of our youth
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Kat
School Professional from Illinois
Working with Erika's Lighthouse has been such a positive and meaningful experience for our students at West Leyden. A team of us in the Student Services department collaborate with our Freshman Health teachers to deliver the content to the entire class. Half of our freshmen take Health first semester and half take it second semester so we go in twice a year. This year, we had the Health teachers start off day one with the video and then facilitate a classroom discussion. For the second day, we bring in the Peer Leaders to lead the students in small groups. Another counselor and I co-sponsor the Peer Leaders program for our school so we have about 25-30 students who are natural leaders and are perfect for the job. Within the small groups the students read the stories from the students featured in the video. They also answer the questions from the packets together. We find that having student leaders involved helps bring a different perspective to the lesson. It shows our freshmen that students in the building care about depression and suicide and are willing to speak on the subject. Day three of the program includes our Social Workers going into the classroom and using the day three portion of the lesson. They provide information on who to go to in the school building or outside in the community for help with depression or suicide ideation. I am so grateful to Erika's Lighthouse for developing such a comprehensive set of lessons. The videos have been very enlightening to our students and the handouts provide additional information that truly bring the stories to life. Because there is a range of individuals with different circumstances featured on the video, our students have really been able to identify with the youth on the video. This connection is so critical to educating young people on overcoming the stigma of getting help for mental health issues. I am also thankful that Erika's Lighthouse has been so supportive of our school and our interpretation of their curriculum. Because of Erika's Lighthouse we have been able to focus on delivery and assistance and not on developing curriculum. Thank you, Erika's Lighthouse!
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Shaina
School Professional from Illinois
The information is accurate. I led a parent workshop on April 26th for the PTA of our school. About 25 parents attended and a couple of them have more than one child in our school. I used the We all have Mental Health PPT Presentation for this workshop. Thank you for the wonderful resources available on your website. I look forward to using more of the products in the next school year.
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Joseph
School Counselor from New York
One thing I learned: how to help my family that mental health is normal is that if a person you know has a metnal health needs help them out be confident to talk to someone if you're feeling down I love learning mental health it's so fun! LOL be inspirational and say 'if you think someone is having problems, go talk to them. Stress is a normal feeling and you are not alone' To always love yourself!
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Kira
Student from California
Erika’s Lighthouse was embraced sincerely by all youth, faculty and administrators this past year. I am personally very attached to this phenomenal program. In fact, our evaluator reported the 2020-2021 results are good from the pre & post tests. I will meet with her next week to hear the positive news officially. I have loved and enjoyed every minute of teaching Erika’s Lighthouse. I have the utmost respect for this most important message. In fact, after teaching several prevention programs for eleven (11) years through the Substance Awareness Center, Erika’s Lighthouse is the most important program. Every school district should be offering Erika’s Lighthouse. I am very attached to the mission and message of this extraordinary program which saves lives. Thank you!
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Christina
Community Partner from Florida
Hi there. We were able to present to 385 out of 386 5th grade student in the Neosho Middle school. This material was more grade appropriate than our previous material. There were less false positives with our exit tickets. We will be using this course with our 5th grade students from here on out.
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Thaddeus
School Counselor from Missouri
I was so impressed with the lessons. I was able to include them in my HS health unit this Fall. I showed the video clip which had teen examples that engaged the students and I did the mini poster project and I liked how students responded to the scenarios. I was so grateful that the program was free and easy to implement. NYS mandated health educators to focus more on mental health topics and the curriculum met our new standards.
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Donna
School Professional from New York
I just trained our Freshman using the Erika's Lighthouse Cirriculum and wanted to pass that along to you since I know that you keep track of the numbers. It conintues to be a helpful and impactful video for our students. I am so appreciative, as always!
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Terri
School Professional from Illinois
It has shifted my perspective of depression and also taught me of some of the signs of depression that I can recognize in friends so I can get support them and help them get proper treatment
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Talon
Student
We are just trying to get the kids to be aware that we as a school care about their mental health. We're doing it to show we know it's there, we can help them if it makes it difficult to learn and also it's getting students to connect with their friends over the walk
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Alicia
School Social Worker from Illinois
Sasha and Andre where stress so they Sasha told her mom about it so they watched movies and it calmed her stress for Andre he didn't tell anyone he only told Sasha Sasha told him to watch movies with friends but for Andre it didn't work So he decided to tell his teacher And his teacher told him to do something and Andre stress went away.
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Cassian
Student from California
I think this program helped me a lot and made this topic more understandable to me.
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Cyrus
Student
Students throughout Los Angeles Unified School District have received Erika’s Lighthouse curriculum and have engaged in learning about teen depression, stigma associated with mental health, and coping skills. The program is easily accessible and provides all the materials needed for implementation. The students, school staff and parents that have been provided with the lessons have expressed their gratitude and appreciation for the program.
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Ely
School Professional from California
i used to think that depression was not like a real thing and that people where just coming up with excuses to get out of stuff but now i realize that it is a real problem and people who have it actually need help
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Talia
Student
We still use Erika’s Lighthouse for our yearly mental health curriculum. Our students enjoy the interactive lessons and I feel our district have come a long way in our education since employing your curriculum. We will continue to use your resources for as long as i am here.
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Scott
School Professional from Illinois
This program is very educational and helped me know the symptoms and how to help someone with depression.
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Silas
Student
Thank you Erika’s Lighthouse for continuing to partner with us as we use the classroom program. It is a vital part of our Health unit when we cover Mental Health. We really appreciate that counselors have built a successful partnership with our Health teachers due to this program.
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Helen
School Professional from Illinois
I use your materials with our upper schoolers and LOVE your programming.
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Veda
School Professional
Wonderful! Thanks so much! We don't have a counseling budget at the school so I am so grateful for the support for our kiddos.
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Brooke
School Counselor from Washington
These assesments are amazing! My students are sending me in thier projects and they really enjoy having the choice for an assessment and the assessments being submitted are so creative! My 10th graders are doing Level III and my 7th graders are submitting Level I. They are almost finished with the Level II lessons and thye are picking up so much. Thank you again!
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Meagan
School Professional from New York
This program was very helpful to me because I learned many strategies on how I can help others and myself if I am in this type of situation.
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Kendra
Student
I appreciate YOU!! Folks are still reaching out about how great your webinar was and the materials are being accessed in our Social Work Resource Library!!
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J.R.
Community Partner
Good Morning!
We have completed ELH at all the schools! It went beautifully and ELH had a great impact on the students. Many students reached out for help as a result of ELH!
Thank you for all your help!
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Jill
School Professional from Florida
It taught me to make sure too take depression seriously and look for signs of depression in my community and too be there for them.
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Ophelia
Student
Social Worker and Counselors love the videos and the simple and clear way the information is provided. In meeting with some middle schoolers after the presentation I heard It was really good to know about depression and now I feel like I can help others
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Xavier
Administrator from Kansas
This workshop shares great tips on what we can do to help children who are experiencing depression or thoughts of suicide. The power of listening to what our children have to say when it comes to their mental health, can be the difference between a moment of sadness or a lifelong battle with depression
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Omayra
School Professional from Illinois
Erika's lighthouse gave me real insight through the stories of the people in the video.
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Gareth
Student
Each day at PJ23 School, we read the daily reminder about the Positivity Pledge calendar for that given day. At PJ23, we highlight Mindfulness Monday, Wellness Wednesday and Faithfulness Friday, and the Positivity Pledge calendar paired brilliantly with that. Additionally, we have a commitment to healthy bodies, minds and souls and we strive to put an emphasis on mental health awareness. Thank you, Erika's Lighthouse, for your great resources and for your partnership
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Molly
Administrator from Illinois
I feel more confident to help someone or guide someone who has depression
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Sabrina
Student
We are incredibly appreciative for our partnership with Erika's Lighthouse and all of the work that you do! Thanks for being awesome!
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Callum
School Professional from Virginia
I want you all to know that our suicide attempt rate as measured by the YRBS, went down from 14.3% to between 5.4-7.2% since using your videos and the messages from your curriculum. We continue to be very impressed by your videos, website, and curriculum.
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Michael
School Professional from Wisconsin
I am the school social worker at Lake Forest Country Day and have relied on Erika's Lighthouse programming materials and resources to educate our middle school students about depression awareness since 2012. The program is comprehensive in that it provides a thorough and scientific understanding of depression, explores and clears away the negative stigma associated with mental illness, provides guidance on how to seek help for oneself and a friend, and addresses the importance of adopting and maintaining healthy coping mechanisms to combat everyday stressors. Students share with me that they are grateful for the education, practical tools, and permission to discuss mental health issues in a way that is authentic, hopeful, and empowering. Additionally, I appreciate the flexibility that the program offers concerning the ability to roll it out entirely or split into segments to accommodate school scheduling needs. Finally, our families are grateful for the education provided to their children around these important issues and the parent resources that I share with them from Erika's Lighthouse website. Depression in adolescents has increased and schools are uniquely situated to provide protective factors to students by providing the essential education that Erika's Lighthouse offers.
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Nancy
School Professional from Illinois
we should be inspirational and say if you think someone is having problems, go talk to them. stress is a normal feeling and you are not alone.
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Celeste
Student from California
This program is a very helpful way to for people to understand depression and how to help and support people who have it.
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Rowan
Student
I am more open minded and more comfortable with talking and opening up about this topic.
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Balthazar
Student
I am so happy and satisfied with the Erika's Lighthouse Program. I am a new school social worker, so the fact that they provide so many resources for FREE is truly a life saver, and makes it so much more accessible. They provide step by step instructions and training on how to successfully implement the program. You can tell from the program and the organization's mission that they genuinely support mental health and suicide awareness/prevention, which is truly admirable. I think it is so important for students to hear from other students about their experiences, especially from different backgrounds and perspectives, and this program does that!
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Sarah
School Professional from Illinois
I am able to empathize more and understand the role I can play to get others help.
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Ezra
Student
be confident to talk to someone if your feeling down.
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Tristan
Student from California
I am using this program this year! I am so excited to implet it! Thank you! Your presentation was my favorite at the conference!
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Rhys
School Professional from New York
On a side note, I just would like to share we have been implementing lessons and have been able to support and reach students that would typically fly under the radar. We are grateful for the partnership with your program!
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Mike
School Professional from Illinois
I recently had a seemingly well-adjusted student with strong grades, plenty of friends, involved and supportive family, who indicated on their self-referral exit ticket in my class that he needed to speak with a mental health care worker in the next 24 hours. The counselor had never met with him before; barely knew who he was because he never appeared to struggle. Turns out he not only had struggled with suicidal thoughts for some time, he had a complete plan for following through. I am so grateful I met Erika's Lighthouse at our Indiana SHAPE (INSHAPE) conference in 2019 . Your lessons, materials, videos, and teaching guides gave me confidence to approach mental health in a way that reduces stigma… something I always wanted to do but didn’t know how. Students getting these Erika’s Lighthouse lessons hear so clearly that everyone deserves good mental health, and there is hope and help for those who are struggling, whether those struggles make sense or not. Absolute life saver for these kids!
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Cassie
Health Educator from Indiana
This program doesn’t need any improvement its a great resource and safe space for those who need it.
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Beatrice
Student
I have been meaning to contact you about how much I enjoyed this year's curriculum and think it is the best one thus far! I used the ELH Level 3 with my freshman health classes in December. I love it! I love the posters and having the students present about the six teens they learned about, which I hung in the classroom (please see the attachment). I needed something colorful and bright to cover up the partition between the two classrooms. My supervisor was observing me on this day, and he indicated that it was one of the best lessons he had seen.
Now that everything is available to use in Google and customizable, it makes the teacher's life a bit easier; thank you for that. I also love the Performance Assessment and that you included a rubric and gave the student choices. I was amazed by some of the products my students put forth. Some students asked if they could do a news article for option two and a few students inquired about writing a letter to a friend instead of a voice message. I love the creativity that this allowed for them to do. I posted our assignment on Schoology, our district's Learning Management System.
I had 3 ELL students, so some of the Spanish materials you provided were very helpful to use. Thanks to Erika's Lighthouse for producing such an excellent and necessary curriculum!
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Jill
School Professional from New Jersey
I really appreciate the work you all do to make these resources available for free and easily adaptable to fit the needs of various students. I also appreciate that the resources are made using the stories of actual students who have gone through mental illness ...it definitely makes the videos and tools so much more real and relevant to the students!
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Vance
School Social Worker from Illinois
I think this program is very good because it provides examples from teens that I can relate to.
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Genevieve
Student
this program helps a lot of people pay attention to the symptoms if one of your friends have depression
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Amara
Student
Most teachers in grades 7-8 and Health 1 said they planned to field test Erika's Lighthouse in lieu of the currently approved suicide prevention curriculum they normally use in those grades. They said they thought the Erika's Lighthouse curricula was more accessible for teachers and more relatable to students than the programs they've used in the past. Thank you for having a skills-based program available at no cost.
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Lucian
School Professional from Oregon
The spirit and energy of the club members was great, and their positivity and drive to promote mental health and wellness was incredible.
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Julian
School Professional from Illinois
I have been using your lessons for roughly 6 years and love the flow. Thank you so much for easy to understand lessons that have so much power and impact on our students.
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Siena
School Professional from Ohio
Love the updates to the resource portal. We are going to be down a social worker this year in my building so I am going solo this year. Due to my services in the building being reduced, I have already completed my Depression Awareness presentation with my junior high students and was grateful to be able to use the website in the presentation. I also utilize some of the resources you have on the portal in some of my small groups too for some of my kids that are struggling with anxiety, depression and mood regulation. Lots of great resources so thank you!
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Freya
School Social Worker from Illinois
From Erika’s Light House I learned that I like to do mindfulness because It makes me feel good and good. and also Happy. I Love It so much.
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Felix
Student from California
Thank you, Peggy! The presentation was educational for all staff members. We hope to implement both programs this academic year!
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Priya
School Professional from Illinois
This was an awesome experience. Candice is a natural. Erika's Lighthouse was very well represented. The message was delivered with care. I know that everyone in that session knew the value of incorporating a mental health curriculum in their school. Erika's lighthouse is definitely the best program that would give them the support and tools they need to function.
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Victor
Health Educator from Illinois
When the current pandemic first took storm, I found myself struggling with my mental health mostly because staying in quarantine was such an adverse and tumultuous time. Once school started, I wanted to help my classmates, who were also dealing with mental health struggles, which inspired me to establish an Erika's Lighthouse club at my school. Through this club, my classmates and I have found a safe space to express ourselves and help break down the stigma surrounding mental health.
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Gowri
Student from Texas
Our school has partnered with Erika’s Lighthouse for several years, and I am always impressed with the quality of materials that they produce. The staff at Erika’s Lighthouse strives to provide the most current resources so our teachers can effectively deliver information while using proven best practices. Talking about depression can make both teachers and students uncomfortable, but the Erika’s Lighthouse program is designed to decrease the negative attitudes of depression. The program provides an opportunity for conversations about how students can contribute to a positive mental health culture in their school and community.
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Jason Dane
School Professional from Illinois
I love that this program is free. Wow - amazing! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and resources.
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Tobias
School Professional from International
I believe this club brings awareness to such an important topic. While we as adults can try to send the message that mental health is important, students hearing this message delivered from their peers in fun ways is even more impactful. The students in our club truly feel they at they are making a difference!
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Gwen
School Professional from Illinois
Previously, I had used the video and lesson for Level 2 for everybody. I changed it up so that I would have a plan for every year and not have to reinvent the wheel. The lessons worked well for the assigned grade levels. My geeky self enjoyed seeing how the students from the Level 2 video had grown and seemed to be doing well in the Level 3 video. After you watch the videos so many times in a day, you get a little emotionally invested! Thank you to Erika's Lighthouse for providing these resources for a tough topic.
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Pat
School Counselor from West Virginia
I have enjoyed using Erika's Lighthouse lessons with my students. These lessons are ready to go and incredibly simple to use. The lessons include the student perspective, which is so valuable. My students have shared that the lessons are a great opportunity for them to talk about mental health with peers. So many students would not experience this without Erika's Lighthouse.
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Jillian
School Professional from New Mexico
My organization has been using the middle school curriculum in the Indian River Florida school System for several years now. This was my first time presenting, and I just LOVE IT! I took advantage of the heart-to-heart Valentine’s idea, and it was a hit. Next week, I will presenting my final segment 3 to our 6th grade population for the academic school year.
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Xzondra
Community Partner from Florida
I would love to get information out to our Middle and High School members about your program since not everyone was able to attend the Health conference and so many of our students have struggled at different points over the last two years and during adolescence. I would love for Massachusetts to be flooded with Erika's Lighthouse resources!
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Fiona
School Professional from Massachusetts
Thanks for all the work we have done. The resources from Erika’s Lighthouse are highly appreciated here among our middle and high school counselors. I value our experiences together and look forward to our paths crossing again in the future.
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Edward
School Professional from Wisconsin
Thank you so much for offering this program. I am retiring at the end of this school year and regret that I wasn't able to find time to make more use of it. My plans were to sponsor a mental health club this year and use your resources for it. I will encourage my replacement to check out what Erika's Lighthouse has to offer if she's not already aware. Keep up the important work that you are doing and the messages that you are promoting to our youth!
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Stacey
School Professional from Missouri
Thank you for providing wonderful resources and lesson plans for educators. After utilizing the middle school curriculum, I have had a lot of great feedback from students. One student stayed after class to thank me for sharing about depression since she has a friend currently struggling with it. Another student opened up to his class about his experience managing his depression over the last couple of years. His peers were very supportive and appreciated his willingness to open up a discussion.The small group questions you provided have been a great tool to allow students to openly share with each other in a safe space. Your program is changing lives, and I am thankful to be a part of it.
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Kalee
School Professional from Oklahoma
Lessons continue to be great and developmentally appropriate for the kiddos. Thank you
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Soren
School Counselor from Connecticut
Parents were really moved by the important information shared in the workshop. It is vital that our community is aware of the warning signs to look for with their children
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Jonathan
School Professional from Illinois
now I know I am not alone with stress
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Dante
Student from California
We are using the one day depression education lesson in high school ROTC and 11th grade health classes. We added two of the program addition activities to break up the lesson and include an interactive, skill building component - 'Having Supportive Conversations with Peers' and 'Text from a Friend'.
We are receiving positive feedback from students and the team who facilitated re: the materials
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Maeve
School Professional
I just like the whole concept of the organization about spreading awareness of depression in youth because it's so common this day and age and I just wanted to help in any way I can to be a support system. I want to make sure people know I'm someone they can go to about that
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Meghan
Student from Illinois
It has been wonderful seeing how the Level III EL programming used in my Health classes has inspired young people to act.
I grew up in Northfield so this organization and message are something I have always deeply valued. I was lucky enough to be involved with this programming as a student in middle school and high school as well.
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Michelle
Health Educator from Illinois
I think that Sasha and Andre did the right thing to talk to there parents. Whenever I am stressed i like to go outside. Or I also play on the phone. -C.M.
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Ariadne
Student from California
Erika’s Lighthouse provides the opportunity for students to understand that depression is part of life. It teaches the symptomatology in non-judgmental way that is very palatable. The video demonstrates how accessing help is an important life skill, and sometimes you have to access multiple avenues. It models for students that there are circles of support, from their friends, family, school, and community. The help seeking component is my favorite because it is a true skill that we all need to develop over a lifespan. Additionally, it helps develop a help-seeking culture on campuses and assists in identifying community resources. The bookmark is a great resource that has great tangible information to support mental wellness. The program comes from a multiple perspective place that supports a school, and student.
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Sally
School Social Worker from California
My favorite part of the presentation was the worksheets because I liked writing about myself. My favorite part of the presentation was learning some ways to calm down my stress. In my opinion my favorite thing was the worksheets because we can put what we feel.
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Evangeline
Student from California
I think my ability to help someone has definitely improved and I now know to seek help if I think they need it.
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Delilah
Student
Thank you for providing these valuable resources at no cost.
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Aredia
School Professional from Illinois
...a high school stuednt was taking the ELH health unit this week and reached out to a trusted adult at school. How amazing it is to know the ELH initiative helped that student!
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Kaelen
School Professional from Virginia
This program kept me interested and informed and I really appreciate that I can now help myself or someone I know who may be struggling with depression.
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Ronan
Student
I highly enjoyed presenting for ELH for elementary school students, this was very easy to implement, the video is short, clear, and relatable. The team did an amazing job creating this presentation and took into consideration the limited preparation time PSW's have to prepare for the classroom presentation. Students enjoyed it and I got great feedback from the teachers and administrators.
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Sally Stevens, LCSW PPSC M. Ed.
School Professional from California
Statistics compiled by the school district revealed [an increase] in the number of students who self-reported having mental-health difficulties – from 1,168 in 2021-22 to 3,146 in 2022-23.
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Elena
Community Partner from Florida
Thank you so much for reaching out to me. Thankfully our school uses your resources currently, which I am deeply grateful for. I cannot thank Erika's Lighthouse enough for all that you all do. We need these resources in school more than ever, and these resources will save lives. I share your resources widely and even have used your resources with my own children. My son lost a friend to suicide 3 years ago, and knowing that there is a resource he can learn about mental health has been an positive for him too. Thank you.
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Elizabeth
School Professional from Illinois
My ability to help someone with depression has completely changed after the Erikas Lighthouse Program because I can see signs of depression, and I know who to call if I or someone else needs help.
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Magnus
Student
These are kids who, without that curriculum, likely would’ve said nothing, would’ve continued to struggle, and would’ve received no help. Now I feel like they’ve taken that first big step… acknowledging what they’re feeling and recognizing that they need assistance. And because of Erika’s Lighthouse, they will get it
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Lia
School Professional from Indiana
The videos are well done. The kids find them authentic and, because of the diversity, can see a face they recognize. The materials are affordable, well thought out and easy to use. They're flexible and have no rigidity about how they're to be used. Erika’s Lighthouse supplies resources offering an easy way to talk to kids about how to stay mentally healthy. No one is putting out these kinds of materials right now, and trying to create them on my own would be impossible.
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Harry
School Professional from Washington
My ability to help someone with depression changed due to Erika’s Lighthouse program because I know a lot more about depression and symptoms.
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Declan
Student
I feel more comfortable talking to people about it and I know more about what I should do if I see someone with warning signs.
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Sylvia
Student
This Program is great overall, teaching kids that they don't have to be scared do talk to people and that their feelings are Valid and matter.
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Orion
Student
I like this program, I feel it shows a lot of peoples real life experiences.
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Zaria
Student
Just wanted to let you know that two of my schools are doing the Positivity Pledge. They are having a blast with it and have created competitions within the classrooms. Thank you so much for all the help. What a wonderful way to get the information across and to end the year on a positive note.
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Ruth
School Professional from Ohio
The school counselor and I did Level 3 (one day) in 2 days per grade during their 37 min PE/Health classes. We had about 45-50 students in the gym per session. We did break out small groups (5 groups with us, PE and health each leading a group) during day 2. We gave out 988 bracelets and hung up large Erik's lighthouse posters and I put a 988 banner and the QR code for student services on them as well. We also used the referral cards and had about 35 (10%) request to be seen after. This year we did not do anything for staff other than give them a 988 bracelet. Hoping we can for next year. Let me know if you have more questions. Erika's Lighthouse is a great program!!! And such a blessing to our students!
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Gideon
School Social Worker from Illinois
I love Erika’s Lighthouse! I use it every year for Depression awareness with my 7th graders and then use some of the additional resources to share with Middle school students for mental health awareness. Thank you!
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Lyra
School Counselor from Texas
Just wanted to let you know that the resources are amazing. I've shared them with my Health & PE staff and all I keep hearing is positive things. Thank you so much for sharing and providing support around mental wellness and suicide prevention. I really appreciate it.
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Astrid
Administrator from Wisconsin
My ability has changed for the better because now I have a better background on the topic. With my more in depth knowledge of the topic I can confidently help others with depression.
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Killian
Student
I was sooo thankful for your lessons. There is very little time to plan to put together my own lessons. This website and your information was, truly, a Godsend. The material was very relevant; the handouts were appreciated.
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Cassandra
School Professional from Ohio
Erika’s Lighthouse has been such an outstanding program for our middle school students. This May, we are working on a school wide Positivity Pledge for 30 days in honor of Mental Health Awareness.
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Lori
School Professional from Kansas
We used to use the SOS curriculum but 3 years ago we switched to Erika's Lighthouse. We love how it's a general overview of mental health. The kids relate to it so much better.
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Dana
School Social Worker from Wisconsin
I think that it is good as it is because there is a little bit of everything (videos, lectures, vocabulary matching). It is formed well to teach students about mental health.
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Elowen
Student
I am very thankful for you and the team who created this program and made it available for us. I am glad I got to know it in one of ISCA's workshops.
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Leander
School Counselor from International
We have been using these materials and so appreciate them. Everything from the parent letter down to the self-referral. Thank you so much for this
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Jasper
Administrator from California
I used the 4-day lesson plan with approximately 75 fifth graders. I thoroughly enjoyed sharing this information with them and their teachers and I feel very good about the impact it has had on them. I want to continue conversations with them as they relate to their learning through your program. I have done a different program in the past and was excited to be introduced to your program when our elementary school counselors met before the start of school for students. I really like Erika's Lighthouse the best! Thank you for making this available. (Elem teacher in JCPS)
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Naomi
School Professional from Kentucky
i have no suggestions since i now know i'm not alone with stress.
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Dominic
Student from California
The Erika's Lighthouse Program Works! So many of our students really listened and heard the message of your curriculum!!! They heard it, they thought about what they’re feeling, and they asked for help! THEY ASKED FOR HELP! That’s truly the whole point, right? Awareness, understanding, and not being afraid to confront what you’re feeling and ask for help rather than suffer in silence.
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Lia
School Professional from Indiana
I know what to look for and how to help.
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Nicolette
Student
You are doing an incredible job with making resources accessible to teachers like myself. We have a common goal of helping to educate, removing stigma, and normalize the idea that mental health is something we all have!
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Heather
School Professional from New York
I appreciate all your fantastic resources and I have really enjoyed the new resource portal. Thanks for all your hard work on such an important part of our kids lives.
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Mireille
School Counselor from Indiana
I’m proud to support Erika’s Lighthouse because I believe all students should have access to quality mental health education. Mental health and depression is often a difficult topic to discuss at any age, especially for adolescent students. So when I learned how scalable, sustainable, and impactful ELH’s programs are, I knew I wanted to be involved at a deeper level and joined the Corporate Advisory Committee. The sheer number of students whose lives are positively impacted by ELH’s educational programs and Empowerment Clubs is inspiring, due in large part to the ever-evolving and approachable curriculum. I’m excited to see how ELH can expand its reach and provide even more education as we enter this next chapter of growth.
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Lukas Kubon
Donor from Illinois
I absolutely love this program! I wish I had known about it in years past because I definitely would have been using it. I utilized the one day lesson this year to complete our required Suicide Prevention training with students in 8-12 grades. I also plan to use other resources on the website to conduct stress management classes and mindfulness activities.
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Dorian
School Professional
Let me start out by saying that the Erika’s Lighthouse curriculum and resources are amazing, and the bounty of options and web design has become even more robust and wonderful in the past year. Kudos, and THANK YOU for putting it out there for free!
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Clementine
School Professional from Illinois
Working in a special day school program, where all students have IEPs centered around behavior and emotional disabilities, having the Erika's Lighthouse curriculum was vital to start our school year and orient ourselves in understanding the connection we all have to depression and suicide. Many of our students at our school are diagnosed, but they do not necessarily recognize that there are many others going through the same thing. We were able to help our students see the connections between each other and how they may help themselves, while also supporting others in our school. Additionally, we loved that it was FREE!
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Nicole
School Social Worker from Kansas
2025-26 SY DATA
Outcomes Dashboard
89%
demonstrate mental health literacy.
96%
say it is important to seek help for a friend talking about suicide.
93%
believe we should be talking about
mental health.
91%
can take care of their own mental health.
PASSION EMPOWERING OTHERS
Supporter Impact Stories
How Nancy Watson’s Recurring Support Builds a Legacy of Mental Wellness
Budgetary and time constraints often prevent schools from accessing critical mental health resources. Without these...
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Advancing Knowledge and Eliminating Stigma: A Donor Spotlight on the Kelly Family
Addressing the youth mental health crisis is hindered by a widespread lack of knowledge regarding depression symptoms...
Championing Youth Mental Health from Teen Panels to Marathons
Nell Osborne, a childhood friend of the organization's namesake, recognized early on the profound lack of awareness and...
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More Than a Fundraiser: CKLF’s Commitment to Youth Mental Health
After the tragic loss of a close friend to suicide in 2022, a group of friends and their community were left searching...
Empowering the Next Generation: How the RB DenUyl Family Foundation is Breaking Barriers in Youth Mental Health
After losing a brother to a long struggle with mental health and addiction, Clark DenUyl and his family sought a...
Passion Meets Mission: Sarah's Journey as a Supporter
As a career educator for 35 years, Sarah Conrad recognized a critical gap in student support regarding mental health...
COMPELLING EVIDENCE FROM THOUGHT LEADERS
Expert-led Studies
When you invest in a cause, you deserve to know that your contribution is creating real, lasting change. At Erika's Lighthouse, our depression education and suicide prevention programs are expertly created and managed by dedicated, highly credentialed professionals. We do not just hope our approach works; we continually measure our success through rigorous, expert-led evaluations to ensure we are truly equipping students to navigate their mental health.
INDEPENDENT STUDIES
Academic & Peer-Reviewed
Implementation of Erika’s Lighthouse an Urban District
Independent abstract Rutgers and Newark BOE, published in 2025.
Global Systematic Review of Suicide Prevention
A review of 51 interventions, including Erika's Lighthouse, published in 2025.
Depression Awareness for Middle School Students
Independent study by Michael Kelly, PhD, published in 2020.
Depression Education as Primary Prevention
Independent study by Michael Kelly, PhD, published in 2019.
Evaluating the High School Program
Dissertation of the High School Program by Lola White, PsyD, from 2013.
PROFESSIONAL ADVISORY BOARD
Analysis & White Papers
Youth Help-Seeking Around Mental Health
Exploring youth views on trusted adults and help-seeking, 2024.
Implementing Effective Suicide Prevention Strategies
Model School District Policy on Suicide Prevention
Integrating Mental Health into the WSCC Model
Integrating Mental Health into the WSCC Model, 2021.
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
Donate Today
Make a donation to advance Erika's Lighthouse mission to empower more young people to take control of their mental health. You can be a lifeline for a lifetime.
BECOME A BEACON
Access FREE Curriculum & Resources
Create a free Resource Portal account to gain instant access to all resources. You can start implementing in your school today.