SADD members attend conference

MAHS SADD members recently atteneded the 2024 SADD Conference to hear the message of “Listen Lucy.”

Members of the MAHS SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) attended the 2024 SADD Conference last month at the Somerset County Tech Center. Throughout the day’s programs, members attended a variety of breakout sessions on topics including mental health, vaping, digital safety/social media and choices have consequences.

The key speaker for the convention was Jordan Corcoran, presenting her program entitled “Listen Lucy.” Corcoran is a nationally renowned public speaker, mental health advocate and author. Through the Listen Lucy presentations, students are provided an outlet in which they can express themselves freely and creatively. During her presentation, Corcoran shared her own story of living with and managing Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder.

SADD President Katelin Sigler said this conference was an opportunity to learn more about the many issues facing teens today, including bullying and mental health.

“I hope to share people’s knowledge of bullying and the effect it has on people. Suicide is real, and it ends lives every day, yet this tragedy is not spoken about until it is too late. The speaker . . . shared her story where she overcame bullying, suffering alone from mental health disorders, and being scared to speak up because of society’s opinion toward mental health. Through her struggle, she persevered and that is the most impactful thing to learn,” Sigler explained. “I wish more people would teach about mental health and the importance it has on society. Everybody has their own struggle, yet they are silenced because of different stigmas that drown out the seriousness of the disorders. I wish more people could hear her story, along with others. People struggle with the same things, yet they don’t know how to help each other due to the lack of conversation. I wish everybody knew how cared for, loved and appreciated they truly were. We are all here for a reason to fulfill our earthly duties, and if we were all just a little more kind and understanding, this world would be a better place.”