Bring High School Speaker Jeff Yalden to your School

Real. Engaging. Memorable. Inspiring.

More than Three Decades Jeff Yalden has been a High School Speaker . . . Inspiring Teens since 1992!

Peruse this page and see the need through the testimonials and messages from teens and adults and the impact Jeff has had on them and their communities. Then read through these links and see more of the value thatJeff Yalden brings to schools. He simply inspires, changes lives, increases school relationships, and teaches the most important lessons about life.

High School Motivational Speaker (Click Here)
Teacher & Staff Presentations (Click Here)
Parents and Community (Click Here)

He takes a tough topic – Mental Health and Suicide Prevention and makes it inspiring and motivational. Students and staff appreciate Jeff for his authenticity, transparency, and painful telling of his past. Jeff plants seeds, gives hope, and connects with everyone where they are.

High School Speaker Jeff Yalden Connects with Teens because he is Real and Relevant.

15 Hours: Teens, Teachers, Counselors, Administration, and Parents!

While most high school speakers do a 45 minute school assembly and leave, Jeff stays the whole day and invests in your school. Speaking to students, staff, parents and meeting students one-on-one.

You may not have realized that when you came to talk with my school, you literally saved my life. The day you came to talk to my school, was the day I had planned to end all the depression, pain, and also-my life.

School Social Worker Endorses High School Speaker, Jeff Yalden

There is always a risk having a high school speaker or mental health or motivation speak to your students. There is also a risk every time a teacher steps in front of their class. Jeff Yalden is a safe risk with more than three decades speaking to youth about a topic that is a hard topic to talk about – teen mental health and suicide prevention. Jeff is professional, sincere, compassionate, and transparent. His heart and soul is felt in the hearts of those that are in his presence when he talks.

Jeff doesn’t leave pieces to be picked up after he leaves. His talks are fun, motivational, and educational. He’s interactive. He’s all this even when talking about the most difficult of topics. Jeff is a safe risk and the rewards are endless.

Jeff, I wish you could help us finish out the next four weeks. We need your help. Our kids and staff loved having you for the day.

His presentations were engaging, interactive and real. It didn’t take long into these presentations that he gained the trust of not only the students but the faculty as well.

Fall of 2013 we’ve already had two suicides. This follows student suicides in 2012, a staff suicide in 2013, two accidental student deaths, and the death of another staff member. All this in two years. Following the suicide in 2012 (the boy’s father also took his life later that day), we gathered a group of individuals representative of the school and the community (law enforcement, mental health providers, local ministers, etc.) to determine what we could do as a school community to deal with our loss and prevent additional lives lost to suicide. During a recent meeting it was decided I should contact you about coming to our community to meet with our students, staff, and the community.

I would like to say thank you Jeff. You saved me from committing something that would have hurt my family, friends, teachers, and myself.

"He shared all kinds of information and tips with us and answered so many questions. In fact, the teachers were so into it that we had to kick them out at 5pm when we were supposed to be done at 4:30pm."

Two Full Days

Because One Day is rarely enough!

It’s a typical conversation at the end of Day 1. Many school administrators and counselors ask if Jeff can stick around another day. Consider a second day with more coaching, but this time mediating between the teen and the parents. Parents can sign up after the parent and community event to come and talk with Jeff. Let’s get the teens on the right track. After all, they listen to Jeff.

"Jeff, you sure you can't stay another day?"

Three Days

You want to see a change in climate and culture.

Imagine what some of our school communities go through: Labeled “a city in crisis” and “a community experiencing a suicide contagion“, by the Canadian Mental Health Association, Woodstock (Ontario,Canada) called on Jeff. After Jeff’s five-day visit, the community grew more stable.

A Student Suicide in the School Bathroom

Bring Jeff to your School Community - Teen Mental Health Speaker — One student killed in this horrific school bus accident coming home from an away game

This small Texas community suffered a teen suicide in the school bathroom at 9:15 am. Can you imagine? They called Jeff and within a week, Jeff brought the school climate and morale back to normal. Jeff came and visited with the students, staff, and parents in a day they called, “a miracle.” Then Jeff stayed and cheered on the basketball team while hanging in the student body section.

“No one saw anything coming. He was always smiling and laughing. This has hit the students and staff hard and we are having trouble dealing with it.”

"Jeff, today one of my best friends shot and killed himself. Please help me."

Jeff’s Motivational Book, BOOM (Click Here)
Jeff’s Teen Suicide Book (Click Here)
Why Do Teens Self-Harm (Click Here)
Best of Jeff Yalden Videos (Click Here)

These High School Students Talk About Jeff's Visit to Their School in Crisis . . .

Why Hire Jeff for a Full Day or a Multiple Days?

“The morning of March 25th, I looked at my razor and I wanted to take it apart. I decided not to. I called my mom from the hotel and talked to her instead, and I asked her for help. On the morning of March 26, you spoke at our State Student Council Conference. Afterwards, I realized God was listening in on me asking my mom for help, and God sent you. You might be the only one who cares about me right now — that’s reason enough not to do anything stupid. Thank you for saving my life.”

Whether you are starting the conversation or having to deal with a situation that has rocked your community, Jeff works with you and tailors his talks to meet your needs.

Think about this… A Suicide Contagion

A community experiences a suicide contagion. About five communities a year experience this tragic experience. Imagine a school community losing fourteen students to suicide (including three in one day), and then a school shooting. Jeff came to the community on his own the night of the shooting as he was within an hour speaking in another community.

5,000 people watched Jeff speak on LIVESTREAM and over 500 community members and teens came to the church to hear Jeff talk. This is who Jeff is – and the students realize: JEFF CARES.

"Jeff, one of our freshman took his life today. He was a great kid, as all are. When can you be here?"

“All I need is one person to tell me I’m okay, and everything will be alright. I don’t know sometimes I think everyone would be better off if I just didn’t exist anymore.”

“Recently you visited our sheltered village of Hershey. I wanted to thank you and also to tell you I needed you a few years ago. There was a time when I was the prime suspect for a planned school shooting. I had moved to this school in the 5th grade with quite the cocky attitude and continued to receive daily beating every day after, until, well, the start of high school. At some point in there I had a hit list. I’ve managed to pull myself together and I’m doing well, but I thought I needed to tell you, because in your constant travels you might think that the smaller, or richer schools are usually exempt from the sickening headlines that are now so common in today’s society. Also, keep it up because what you are doing is saving lives, and really, that’s the best job anyone could ever hope to have in this world of hate. Thanks again.”