SL24: UnLocke The Light

This past weekend, we hosted our 7th Annual SL24 Basketball Classic at The Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington! Our event was a major success and we are so thankful for all of the support we have received. With over 150 incredible sponsors, 18 High School teams, and thousands of volunteers and spectators we were able to raise an amazing $674,324 for mental health awareness and Sean's House. Thank you to every sponsor, volunteer, player, and supporter, we could not continue to do this work without you help. To our lighthouses, keep shining.

We officially dedicated and blessed the Hynansky Wellness Center! This new, centrally located hub is a testament to Salesianum’s commitment to student wellness—educating the whole person and supporting students academically, spiritually, and emotionally. A special thanks to our lead donors, John Hynansky and Alexandra Hynansky Vadas, who generously donated in honor of Nicholas Vadas ’23. We also extend our deep gratitude to SL24: UnLocke the Light for completing the vision with Sean's Room, the central informal gathering area within the space. Together, we are unlocking the light and ensuring our students have the support they need to thrive. Read more: https://bit.ly/4hrVjKH. #mentalhealth #wellness

Our 7th Annual SL24 Basketball Classic is almost here! Join us on January 31st and February 1st at the Chase Fieldhouse. The SL24 Basketball Classic was established in memory of Sean Locke in the spirit of providing information and resources on mental health to youth in the Delaware community through the avenue of Sean’s favorite sport. The classic spans two days of exceptional basketball talent by local high school boys' and girls' teams dedicated to raising awareness and support for those navigating mental health challenges. This event is about more than just basketball— it’s a reminder to young people that they are more than a number, a score, or a grade. Whether it is by volunteering, sponsoring, participating in our silent auction, or attending our event, there are so many ways to shine your light! Check out our Event page to learn more about how you can share your light! https://lnkd.in/eyXz9hvB

BTL Foundation is honored to join hands with SL24: Unlocke The Light Foundation in their mission to address mental health challenges. Their impactful work inspires us, and we eagerly anticipate building a strong and meaningful collaboration??

Back from vacation and back to the races! Started the day with the Gun Violence Prevention Forum & ended it by attending SL24: UnLocke The Light partner appreciation and awards event. Bookends to meaningful work that impacts & transforms lives. Thank you for recognizing Nemours with the Corporate Lighthouse Award. We are thrilled to work alongside you to reduce the mental health stigma & positively impact the lives of young people and communities. Let’s all shine the light on mental health. ???? #WellBeyondMedicine #SL24 #CommunityImpact #PartnershipsMatter Laurel Grant, MPH Margie Kandra

Last month, we hosted our inaugural Serving Up Support: High School Volleyball Showcase at Saint Mark's High School, raising over $30,000 for Sean's House and UnLocke The Light. This event was inspired by Saint Mark's Junior, Maddi Way, who has been a passionate supporter of our mission. Maddi, motivated by her own experiences, wanted to raise awareness about mental health in her school and community. Not only did she play a key role in organizing the event, but she also courageously shared her personal journey with anxiety and depression, helping to normalize these struggles. Check out this article from Delaware Online to learn more about Maddi and the impactful event! https://lnkd.in/e4n9bWTM

This past Friday, we hosted our very first Gather and Grow Delaware Youth Mental Health Summit at the Teen Warehouse in Wilmington! 11 high schools from all over Delaware joined us for a day of connecting, reflecting, and having real and important conversations. The day consisted of an amazing keynote by Benjamin Wagner, breakout sessions, 3 incredible student speakers, and the opportunity for students to meet other like-minded peers from across the state and connect on a deeper level. We are so grateful to every single person that participated in the day or contributed to its success! Huge thank you to Nemours, BTL Foundation, and the Laffey-McHugh Foundation for making this event possible.

Happening now: The SL24: UnLocke The Light First Annual Gather and Grow High School Mental Health Summit at the Teen Warehouse ! Students and faculty from 11 high schools across the state are here participating in the summit, featuring keynote and student speakers, dynamic breakout rooms, and exhibitions. As a proud partner of #SeansHouse, and a sponsor of this impactful event, Nemours is so proud to support Zachary Ryan MPA and his incredible team today! A special thank you to Chrissy Cammarata, PhD, ABPP , #Nemours clinical psychologist, for hosting today’s adult/educator breakout session on enpowering resilient teens. You and your team have been integral in this partnership and we are so grateful for your time and expertise at the various teen and adult mental health workshops over the past several months.

The number 24 is thoughtfully integrated into our organization's mission in various ways. One key aspect is our commitment to being available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Keeping on this theme of 24/7, we are excited to introduce our new podcast, SL24/7. Every month on the 24th, our host, Samantha Nowell, will sit down with different members of our SL24 community and ask them 7 questions in 24 minutes. These questions provide insights into each individual's identity, both within and beyond the walls of 136. For our first episode, we sat down with our SL24 Social Media Manager, Melissa Marazzo, to talk about her struggles being misdiagnosed, how her sister was unknowingly her brightest light, and what it's like to work at a place she considers home. Tune in to our first episode on Spotify or Youtube. See you on the 24th!

For today's?Wellness Wednesday, we are focusing on Suicide Prevention Month: Changing the Narrative, a Conversation with Annie Slease. Annie Slease is the CEO and Co-Founder of the The Mental Health Literacy Collaborative. Thank you so much Annie for having this open and honest conversation with us about mental health literacy and it's relation to suicide prevention.