DELPHOS, OH (WLIO) - Students of Delphos St. John's and Delphos Jefferson hearing from a special speaker Monday morning.
Tony Hoffman spoke on his experiences, including his struggles with substance abuse and ending up in prison, getting sober and performing in the Olympics, and of course telling his story around the country. This talk was funded by money raised at the Andrew Elder Golf Scramble that was put on this summer, with the hopes that through hearing Hoffman's story, these students will make good decisions throughout their lives and prioritize their mental health.
“I think the biggest message that I want kids to understand is how mental health and emotions are connected to behavior,” said Hoffman. “Of all the things, emotional awareness process, how we process emotions equals behavior, and if I can get them thinking about their emotions and how they’re attached to their behaviors, they become more conscious of what their day-to-day life is actually about and it’s how they feel and how they’re processing those feelings that are creating their behaviors.”
School officials say that they try to have a variety of speakers like Hoffman coming in to talk with students every year.
“Each student has their own has their own worry and, for lack of a better word, issues that they’re struggling with as they go through adolescence, and we want to provide them with people that we can put in front of them that have experienced these things, and they can take one piece of their message home with them and continue to grow who they are and develop and, if need be, reach out and ask for help when needed,” said Adam Lee, principal of Delphos St. John’s High School.
Parents and the general public were also invited to an evening presentation with Hoffman Monday evening at 7 p.m. at Delphos St. John's.
