“Jeff’s legacy will live on for quite some time in our community” – Brett Boggs, Supt. of Schools, Tippecanoe Valley, IN
Consider Two Full Days with Jeff because ONE DAY just isn’t enough!
Contact Betty today and ask, “WHY?”
Community Impact – A Speaker for Parents & Community
Hundreds of parents fill out the auditorium and gymnasium when they hear Jeff Yalden is coming to town. He mesmerizes student audiences with his real talk and parents love him for his confirmation of parenting and relationships with their children. He’s an expert on Teen Depression, Mental Health, and Teen Suicide. He’s never been afraid to tell his personal story.
Communities call upon Jeff every week. A teen suicide and questions need to be answered. A car wreck and a popular student is killed and the community wants encouragement. This is what Jeff does and shares his message, “It will be OK . . . We will get through this!” Jeff’s warm and loving personality moves people to trust in Jeff and allows Jeff’s heart to reach theirs.
Jeff is often called to address the questions that parents have. “Why?” “What is going on with today’s teens?” After Jeff speaks, it’s the same parents and community that say’s, “How can you put a price tag on saving a life?”
Parents ask, “What programs are you doing for us?” Administrators and teachers say, “When we do something nobody shows up!” Yes, you are in a predicament where you are damned if you do and damned if you don’t.
You can’t not have Jeff Yalden speak to your parents when he comes to your community for school assemblies. Jeff is a speaker that is memorable and shares a message that parents need to hear as well as your teenagers. Most recently, Jeff was the featured keynote speaker in Singapore for the Singapore Parenting Congress Conference on July 19, 2015.
Call Jeff today to discuss this awesome evening. You will be glad you did and your parents will thank you!
“Always On, Never Connected: The Impact of Technology on Today’s Youth, Parenting Teens and So Much More!”
Let’s not be ‘That community in mourning . . .’ Teen Depression and Teen Suicide is prevalent today. How does Jeff know? Because day after day the phone rings about another teen having taken their life. Phone calls from school principals, superintendents, community members, and parents asking Jeff to come and help. This video is after one school community in Indiana was rocked and the school community was placing blame on the school and asking what are they going to do? 1.5 hours. Over 2,500 parents and community members came out and Jeff mesmerized them. Two Indiana communities suffer incredible loss to death and suicide. They call Jeff Yalden to answer questions and bring normalcy to communities struggling from what they’ve been through. Why does each community bring 1500 parents one night and the other community over 1200 parents the other night? Why after the fact? This is real life and Jeff Yalden is the man when it comes to loss and questions needing to be answered. Jeff tells it like it is and reiterates a message that parents and teens need to hear. Jeff’s tell it like it is talk is a welcomed gust of wind to a weary populace of people in today’s society.Read Reference Letter Below
from High School Principal & Superintendent of Schools
When one community lost 9 teens to suicide in less than a year, including 4 teens in 6 weeks, who did they turn to? They reached our to Jeff Yalden and within days, Jeff was there to restore hope to a community lost in its search for meaning and understanding. Jeff passionately delivers because at one time he was that teen lost and confused contemplating suicide himself. Today, Jeff touches the hearts of millions as he shares his timeless lessons about life’s defining moments. The message to the parents is about today’s teens – Teen Depression & Teen Suicide! Don’t ever think this won’t happen in your community. It’s happening today in more and more communities. More and more schools are left scrambling for help and asking how to handle such loss. This isn’t about death and dying. This message is about teens and their addiction to social media and cell phones. The message talks about the types of depression and what parents need to be aware of. It’s a message that is positive and intended to encourage and support. Jeff talks about the signs of depression and the signs of suicide and what you can do about it. Mothers and fathers, school board members, and local community members have gotten wind of Jeff’s reputation. Students can’t always recite his stories word-for-word, but they do convey their excitement for his humor. They talk about “Just Jeff” time and set off a chain reaction among the elders. More important, Jeff opens up a dialogue between the youth and their parents in a safe and creative way. All the parents know is that something special happened at school. Parents, in turn, have driven more than 300 miles to hear this Jeff Yalden in person, inviting grandparents and relatives to boot. Jeff, forever accommodating, reaches the whole family with his inspirational stories, causing them to laugh, reflect, and have something truly worthwhile to discuss at the dinner table. Jeff’s books, bracelets, DVD’s and CD’s are available for purchase at programs and parent/community programs.
Reference Letter from Troy Akers, High School Principal, Warsaw High School, IN
To whom it may concern:
#1 Tiger Lane Warsaw, IN 46580
Good day to you! As the principal of Warsaw Community High School, I’m taking a few moments to provide you with my full endorsement of Mr. Jeff Yalden as our Nation’s #1 Teen Motivational Speaker. What you see is what you get! This gentleman can simply connect with ALL students. I know this to be true through the evidence received from my student body of 2,160 students in grades 9-12. The evidence was provided through news breakouts, casual classroom conversations, newspaper reports, and most notably, social media outlets such as Twitter and Facebook. Our students love Jeff Yalden!
Why would we need a motivational speaker? We were recently named an Indiana Department of Education “A” school. We have facilities better than anyone could imagine. Warsaw Community High School has a curriculum that is deep and rich. We excel in the Fine Arts and Performing Arts. We are also very proud of our service clubs and organizations. Across the state, everyone knows of our outstanding Tiger athletics tradition. However, something appeared to be missing.
You see, our students, staff, and the greater Warsaw community, has been rocked by a number of suicides in recent weeks. Four victims were teens and one of the four was an outstanding young man from our senior class. The unthinkable and unexplainable took place when he took his life two days after Christmas. As the building leader, I knew our student body needed some sort of intervention or process for healing to begin.
As mentioned, our neighboring school districts had issues of their own. Our happy-go lucky, beautiful county, known as the “Orthopedic Capital of the World” was being turned upside down. All of the sudden Warsaw and Kosciusko County had become an area filled with unexpected, unprovoked darkness. Something had to be done. We needed something that would promote healthy thoughts from our young people. Our students needed someone other than parents, teachers, counselors, administrators, or friends to make a profound statement to them that “it will be alright!”
Needless to say, I was researching to find the right guest speaker to address our student body. It was then that my colleague at a neighboring district called me. He had unfortunately lost two students to suicide within the last six weeks. He indicated that he knew of a speaker that could come in and restore
hope into both communities. At that time, I made a request to my Superintendent to allow us to partner with my colleague to bring Jeff Yalden in to speak.
Jeff’s message, “Take Time to Think,” is not a message on teen suicide. However, it is a message about life as a teenager and the struggles and choices our young people have each day. Jeff gets down to the students level. He doesn’t speak at them. He speaks with them. His talks inspire students of low ability, high ability, and those in between. Likewise, he speaks to students from all levels of socioeconomic status and those of diversity.
Many things occurred within the three days Jeff and his assistant, Kaylene, spent in our community. Hearts were opened, wounds exposed, and hearts were healed. I cannot say enough about the impact that Jeff Yalden made on our student body and the community. Twitter and Facebook pages are still exploding with positive remarks and comments about Jeff Yalden’s visit. Jeff is also quick to point out that there are people here, within our high school, equipped with handling the emotional needs of any student.
Jeff is very supportive of our teachers and the public education system. He challenges students to make good decisions and to always stick to accomplishing the objective at hand rather than getting caught up with unachievable expectations and the disappointment that come with it.
If you are considering someone who can speak the language of today’s youth, then Jeff is your man. If you want someone who is a “suit and tie guy” telling kids “don’t do this” or “don’t do that,” then that’s a different speaker, and some other convo. Jeff’s a no nonsense guy with a powerful PG13 message. Yes, some of his illustrations were a bit edgy; however that’s the beauty of the connection. That’s what makes Jeff Yalden a “real guy” with a “real message.”
In conclusion, many of my students have said that Jeff Yalden has made a permanent impression on their heart. My friends, if that is so, there isn’t much more for me to say. If one young person leaves a convocation feeling this way, then you can find the time, you can find the resources and you can make a difference for your students. In my twenty seven years in education, I have never witnessed such a strong, positive student reaction to any convocation speaker’s message. Jeff Yalden is the best!
“Take Time to Think”
With gratitude, Troy W. Akers
