Skip to content

How Free, Tier-1 Education Helped a Rural Kansas Counselor Break Mental Health Stigma and Connect K–12 Students

Lorri Kasten had spent years serving as a dedicated K–12 counselor in White City, Kansas, knowing her students desperately wanted to talk about mental health and depression. What she lacked was a flexible, cost-free solution tailored to every grade level in a rural district.

Today, Erika’s Lighthouse provides Lorri and her students with an accessible framework to normalize conversations around depression, identify warning signs early, and build a supportive safety net before a silent crisis develops.

For several rural students, the introduction of a student-led club provided their very first school activity—and a safe haven to find peer support.

Impact At A Glance

  • Dedicated K–12 Guidance. Lorri Kasten brings extensive counseling expertise to serving students across elementary, middle, and high school levels in rural Kansas.
  • K–12 Curriculum Integration. Erika’s Lighthouse classroom education became a core, flexible component of White City's multi-grade health and guidance programming.
  • 1st Extracurricular Haven. An Empowerment Club empowered students to lead peer-to-peer stigma reduction, giving students their very first school activity.
  • Free for Schools. Evidence-informed, Tier-1 youth mental health and suicide prevention resources provided at zero cost to the district.

Why Early Mental Health Education Matters in Rural Kansas

Throughout her career, Lorri recognized the urgent necessity of reaching students early with mental health education. According to data published by Mental Health America, 20% of Kansas youth experience a major depressive episode annually, and over 116,000 state residents report serious thoughts of suicide. While Kansas has made impressive strides in integrating mental and physical health care—jumping from 51st to 22nd in national health rankings—rural school districts still face steep, distinct hurdles.

Lorri saw these challenges firsthand in White City. Research from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) shows that 50% of all lifetime mental health conditions begin before age 14, yet most available suicide prevention programs were designed strictly for older high school students. Lorri needed a proactive, universal approach—one that reached younger elementary and middle school students long before a crisis could form.

Compounding this challenge, pending state legislation threatened to cut funding for vital school partnerships with external mental health agencies. Lorri needed a sustainable, clinically safe, Tier-1 curriculum that could be implemented in-house without placing a financial burden on her rural district.

A Flexible Curriculum that Removed Financial Barriers

To address these gaps, Lorri turned to Erika’s Lighthouse. She immediately recognized the value of its adaptable lesson plans, structured educator talking points, and student-centered approach.

Lorri integrated Erika's Lighthouse's free Tier-1 classroom education across her K–12 landscape. The curriculum provided age-appropriate tools that normalized mental health discussions, giving students a clear understanding of depression as a treatable medical condition and empowering them to seek guidance from trusted adults.

Because Erika's Lighthouse materials are offered completely free of charge, White City Schools secured an evidence-informed framework that flexed to fit individual classroom schedules while remaining protected from shifting state funding cycles.

"There are very few free or affordable mental health awareness/suicide prevention programs available. My favorite thing about Erika's Lighthouse... is that it's flexible for individual schools/counselors and is totally free."

— Lorri Kasten, K–12 School Counselor

What the Empowerment Club Uncovered

The impact of the programming became especially clear when Lorri introduced an Erika's Lighthouse Empowerment Club to build a broader culture of peer-to-peer support.

In a small, close-knit rural community where extracurricular choices can be limited, the student-led club provided an unexpected turning point for youth who had previously felt disconnected.

The club gave students an active voice in organizing school-wide awareness campaigns, spreading messages of hope, and normalizing conversations around mental health. For several students, joining the Empowerment Club represented their very first time participating in any school activity. It gave them an empowering space to build leadership skills, connect with peers, and actively dismantle the social stigma surrounding mental health.

"I have students being active in their first and/or only school activity and being excited about helping to lower the stigma of talking about mental health issues and accessing resources."

— Lorri Kasten, K–12 School Counselor

Building a Lasting Culture Where No Student Feels Alone

The impact in White City continues to grow well beyond the initial lessons. Lorri sees a sustained cultural shift in how students interact, support their peers, and view mental health resources.

By equipping students with self-advocacy skills, emotional awareness, and positive coping mechanisms, White City Schools has built a resilient community where reaching out for support is recognized as a sign of strength.

Today, Lorri continues to demonstrate how rural school districts can overcome budget constraints and geographic isolation to build proactive, supportive environments where every student feels seen and supported.

Bring Mental Health Education to Your School

Every student deserves the words to recognize what they are feeling, support a friend, and reach out to a trusted adult when they need help.

Erika's Lighthouse provides free, evidence-informed mental health education resources designed to help schools build supportive cultures and give students the words to ask for help.

Explore Erika's Lighthouse Classroom Education

  • State: Kansas
  • Module(s) Used: Depression and Suicide
  • Pillar(s) Used: Classroom Education, Empowerment Clubs
Profile Image

Lorri Kasten

School Counselor

Perspective: School Counselor

Programs Discussed

Within the last three years, I've had only four students out of more than 18,000 leave a lesson because it was emotionally triggering. Erika's Lighthouse's curriculum is accurate, understanding, and presented in a way that students can handle."

— Amy Gladman, Community Educator, The Counseling Center

A

Amy Gladman

Community Partner from Ohio

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!
S

Shaina

School Professional from Illinois

I know what to look for and how to help.
N

Nicolette

Student

I think this program is very good because it provides examples from teens that I can relate to.
G

Genevieve

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.
H

Helen

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.
J

Joseph

School Counselor from New York

this program helps a lot of people pay attention to the symptoms if one of your friends have depression
A

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.
L

Lucian

School Professional from Oregon

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.
J

Jason Dane

School Professional from Illinois

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!
T

Terri

School Professional from Illinois

The spirit and energy of the club members was great, and their positivity and drive to promote mental health and wellness was incredible.
J

Julian

School Professional from Illinois

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.
H

Harry

School Professional from Washington

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.
S

Scott

School Professional from Illinois

This program is a very helpful way to for people to understand depression and how to help and support people who have it.
R

Rowan

Student

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.
D

Dana

School Social Worker from Wisconsin

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.
O

Orion

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!
H

Heather

School Professional from New York

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
M

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
M

Meghan

Student from Illinois

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
O

Omayra

School Professional from Illinois

I am able to empathize more and understand the role I can play to get others help.
E

Ezra

Student

be confident to talk to someone if your feeling down.
T

Tristan

Student from California

i have no suggestions since i now know i'm not alone with stress.
D

Dominic

Student from California

This program is very educational and helped me know the symptoms and how to help someone with depression.
S

Silas

Student

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.
M

Magnus

Student

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.
S

Siena

School Professional from Ohio

I am more open minded and more comfortable with talking and opening up about this topic.
B

Balthazar

Student

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!
F

Freya

School Social Worker from Illinois

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!
K

Kira

Student from California

I love that this program is free. Wow - amazing! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and resources.
T

Tobias

School Professional from International

I am using this program this year! I am so excited to implet it! Thank you! Your presentation was my favorite at the conference!
R

Rhys

School Professional from New York

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!
G

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.
P

Pat

School Counselor from West Virginia

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.
M

Michelle

Health Educator from Illinois

Erika's lighthouse gave me real insight through the stories of the people in the video.
G

Gareth

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.

B

Britta

School Counselor from Illinois

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!
C

Christina

Community Partner from Florida

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.

F

Felix

Student from California

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
T

Talon

Student

My ability to help someone with depression changed due to Erika’s Lighthouse program because I know a lot more about depression and symptoms.
D

Declan

Student

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.
J

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.
X

Xzondra

Community Partner from Florida

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
A

Alicia

School Social Worker 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!
C

Cassie

Health Educator from Indiana

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!
C

Clementine

School Professional from Illinois

I like this program, I feel it shows a lot of peoples real life experiences.
Z

Zaria

Student

Thank you, Peggy! The presentation was educational for all staff members. We hope to implement both programs this academic year!
P

Priya

School Professional 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.
A

Ariadne

Student from California

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.
R

Ruth

School Professional from Ohio

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!
F

Fiona

School Professional from Massachusetts

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.
S

Sally

School Social Worker from California

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.
M

Mireille

School Counselor from Indiana

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.
E

Evangeline

Student from California

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!
G

Gideon

School Social Worker from Illinois

I think my ability to help someone has definitely improved and I now know to seek help if I think they need it.
D

Delilah

Student

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.
V

Victor

Health Educator from Illinois

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.
E

Elowen

Student

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.
M

Michael

School Professional from Wisconsin

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.
T

Thaddeus

School Counselor from Missouri

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.
B

Brooke

School Counselor from Washington

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.
G

Gowri

Student from Texas

From a counselor position, this organization is amazing and I very much appreciate all it's doing to better the lives of our youth
K

Kat

School Professional 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!
L

Lyra

School Counselor from Texas

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
L

Lia

School Professional from Indiana

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.
E

Edward

School Professional from Wisconsin

This program doesn’t need any improvement its a great resource and safe space for those who need it.
B

Beatrice

Student

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.
D

Donna

School Professional from New York

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.
S

Sylvia

Student

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!

S

Stacey

School Professional from Missouri

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
M

Molly

Administrator from Illinois

Thank you for providing these valuable resources at no cost.
A

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!
K

Kaelen

School Professional from Virginia

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!
M

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.
K

Kendra

Student

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.
C

Cassian

Student from California

I am now more open minded towards those suffering with depression and I also now have better references to refer friends to seek help.
A

Aurelia

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!
S

Sarah

School Professional from Illinois

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.
N

Nancy

School Professional from Illinois

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.
A

Astrid

Administrator from Wisconsin

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.
L

Leander

School Counselor from International

I think this program helped me a lot and made this topic more understandable to me.
C

Cyrus

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!!
J

J.R.

Community Partner

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.
K

Kalee

School Professional from Oklahoma

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.
R

Ronan

Student

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
J

Jasper

Administrator from California

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.
L

Lori

School Professional from Kansas

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.
K

Killian

Student

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.
C

Celeste

Student from California

I feel more confident to help someone or guide someone who has depression
S

Sabrina

Student

Lessons continue to be great and developmentally appropriate for the kiddos. Thank you
S

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
J

Jonathan

School Professional from Illinois

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)
N

Naomi

School Professional from Kentucky

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.
E

Ely

School Professional from California

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.
C

Cassandra

School Professional from Ohio

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
T

Talia

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!
J

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!
V

Vance

School Social Worker from Illinois

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
X

Xavier

Administrator from Kansas

now I know I am not alone with stress
D

Dante

Student from California

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!
J

Jill

School Professional from Florida

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.
S

Sally Stevens, LCSW PPSC M. Ed.

School Professional 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.
L

Lia

School Professional 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.
L

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.
D

Dorian

School Professional

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.
O

Ophelia

Student

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!
M

Mike

School Professional from Illinois

We are incredibly appreciative for our partnership with Erika's Lighthouse and all of the work that you do! Thanks for being awesome!
C

Callum

School Professional from Virginia

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!
N

Nicole

School Social Worker from Kansas

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.
E

Elena

Community Partner from Florida

I use your materials with our upper schoolers and LOVE your programming.
V

Veda

School Professional

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.
E

Elizabeth

School Professional from Illinois

J

Jillian Evans

School Counselor from New Mexico

M

Michelle Westerling

Health Educator from Massachusetts

J

Jennifer Bellissimo

School Professional from Massachusetts

C

Cassie Brooks

Health Educator from Indiana

Z

Zoe Adelstein

Student from Illinois

A

Alexandra Greenberg

Donor from Illinois

J

Jason Dane

Health Educator from Illinois

S

Sally Lou Loveman

Donor from Illinois

"I wanted to lean into these challenging topics, but I needed a comprehensive, evidence-informed tool that established safety for everyone in the room."

— Cassie Brooks, Health & Physical Education Teacher

C

Cassie Brooks

Health Educator from Indiana

L

Lorri Kasten

School Counselor from Kansas