If you joined us live or watch the archived stream for Well Beings Tour: Please Listen… Students Talk About Mental Health and Suicide Awareness, please help us improve the development of future content and events by taking this brief survey.
Rates of suicide continue to rise across the demographic spectrum and certainly among school-age youth. For years, suicide and mental health issues were subjects to be avoided, hidden behind a veil of stigma or fear. Now, hopefully we know differently. But in our conversations, are we really hearing what students have to say about anxiety, depression, mental health or the pain their friends and peers are feeling. What do they want from teachers, parents and the others in their lives? As part of the national Well Beings Tour, Detroit Public TV is teaming with Kevin’s Song and other local organizations to create a virtual conversation addressing their vital, often life-saving issues. We will listen to a diverse group of students who will talk about their lives, their feelings and their concerns. And we will respond.
Event Highlights
About the Host
Cynthia Canty, Broadcast Journalist, Michigan
Cynthia Canty was the host of Stateside on NPR affiliate Michigan Radio since the weekday show began in 2012. She retired in December 2019. A lifelong resident of metro Detroit, she was on television and radio in Southeast Michigan since 1979. She has served as a popular radio host, television news anchor, producer, and as a general assignment, medical, and consumer reporter. Canty was a news anchor and morning show personality at Detroit radio stations WNIC-100.3 FM, WDTX- 99.5 FM and WMGC-105.1 FM. Throughout the 1990s, she was on WKBD-TV in the roles of news anchor, reporter and public affairs host & producer. Her reporting and writing have earned her many awards, including an Emmy and honors from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters, the Associated Press and the Detroit Press Club.
About the Panelists
Nancy Buyle, Student Assistance Consultant at the Macomb Intermediate School District
Nancy has worked at the MISD for 22 years providing leadership, service and support to educators in Michigan. Areas of focus are: school safety, crisis response, suicide prevention, social emotional learning and mental health promotion. She leads the county’s suicide prevention coalition and is a certified trainer in trauma interventions. She is co-chair of the Governor’s Commission on Suicide Prevention. Nancy facilitates the county’s Student Assistance Program Network (S.A.P.), a cohort of school counselors, social workers and community agency personnel who meet bi-monthly to identify and address issues which prevent students from being successful in school. Nancy has a BA in Psychology and MA in Counseling from Oakland University and is a Licensed Professional Counselor.
Frank Jermaine Blackman Jr., Senior, University of Detroit Jesuit High School
Eli Herrmann, Junior, Community High School
Sophia Meguid, Junior, Utica High School
Bailey Parker, Junior, Bloomfield Hills High School
