A message from PAPA: Workshop Notice 4/12/23

Dear PAPA Families, 4/10/23

We are excited to welcome guest speaker Nic Newling to our school on April 12th, during PAPA PAW-tential! Nic hails from Australia and is the founder of The Champions. Nic is an outspoken advocate for mental health, suicide prevention, and sharing personal stories. Nic has reached millions of people through television, live talks, documentaries, radio, print, and online. He regularly speaks internationally at industry conferences, educational institutions, and workplaces. Nic strives to make a continue positive impact utilizing sharing and listening to encourage helpful, unscripted conversations around mental health, suicide prevention, and getting the most out of life. Here is a description of the 90-minute presentation that your student will be participating in:

Nic Newling’s personal mental health story presentation follows the highs and lows of having a mood disorder in school, the challenges of being misdiagnosed, and the grief of losing his brother to suicide. He details his temporary efforts to ‘be normal’ and to keep his struggles a secret, all while facing the usual challenges of high school.

In this storytelling and Q&A session, we’ll explore the often-hidden experiences of mental illness, the importance of speaking up and helping each other, along with practical suggestions on how to make a meaningful positive difference. This thought-provoking presentation is emotionally impactful, humorous at times, honest, and most importantly, filled with hope.

More information about Nic Newling’s presentation and his organization, The Champions, can be found at www.thechampions.org

Nic will be speaking to our Sophomores, and Juniors. We recognize that this presentation covers sensitive topics, and will offer the option for a student to participate in an alternative workshop if that is your preference. If you would prefer not to have your student participate in this presentation on April 12th, please notify Tamara Lopez; tlopez@paparts.org as soon as possible. If you have questions about the presentation, please contact the School Social Worker, Ms. Leslye Padilla at 505-830-3128 ext.7 or lpadilla@paparts.org.

Sincerely,

Leslye Padilla, LCSW

School Social Worker