Since 1994, Teen Esteem+ has served more than 352,200 students and parents by educating them on navigating current challenges while building confidence in their futures. The Danville-based nonprofit has a trained team of more than 30 youth-friendly speakers and has been quietly working with local students for decades. Its programs include classroom presentations, school assemblies, and parent workshops. The nonprofit’s reach expanded in the 2022-2023 school year to 18,000 students from 10,000 students the year before. Apart from a small grant from the Pleasanton Youth Commission Agency, Teen Esteem+ relies on community donors to fund its work.

“We focus on encouraging students in the Tri-Valley region to make positive choices on the issues they face,” says CEO Kellie Elliott. “Students appreciate our mix of humor with understanding and care. We also offer parent education to assist parents or other caring adults in devising plans that address the issues of today with relevancy.”

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for 10- to 24-year-olds in the United States, according to the nonprofit, and youth mental health is a big topic in the community. “The role we play is crucial in opening doors for students to name their problem and feel okay about asking for help. We teach that they are unique and have value not because of what they do, but because of who they are. We teach that they have time in their life to make corrections, that all is not lost because of bad choices or situations that they are in beyond their control. We emphasize that no matter the life story you are born with, each person can be their own editor and choose their headlines.”

Learning that it is safe to open up to trusted adults about issues helps many students realign their thinking or seek help, Elliott notes. “Students make realizations during our presentations such as, ‘I didn’t know I was bullying someone until now,’ or ‘I didn’t know that I have an addiction,’ or ‘I have had suicidal thoughts.’ As long as students are telling us that a presentation saved their life, it is important that Teen Esteem+ keeps returning to schools.”

The privately funded nonprofit works in close collaboration with Tri-Valley school districts and individual teachers to tailor its programs. In September, a Teen Esteem+ presentation was held at Pleasanton Middle School. Of the 286 student responses after the event, 93% indicated that the presentation will help them make good decisions that will affect their future, according to Elliott. Feedback from students indicated that most felt that the presentation will change the way students treat each other on campus, and seven students connected with a school counselor. The organization’s newsletter keeps readers up to date on current projects such as an upcoming event in February 2024 focused on improving youth mental health. The event is the result of a partnership between Teen Esteem+, the San Ramon Police Department Community Relations Division, and other organizations. In 2024, the nonprofit will celebrate its 30th anniversary with a fundraising dinner on September 14. Currently, donations to Teen Esteem+ are being matched dollar-for-dollar during its 2023 year-end fundraising campaign.

“Students of all ages are smart, they know that they are facing serious issues,” says Elliott. “They consistently report that they appreciate hearing about tough issues in a real way and with resources and tools that help them. We repeatedly hear that they want us to come back and speak again. Being a trusted and requested resource for students in our community is very special.”

For more information about Teen Esteem+, please visit www.teenesteem.org, www.instagram.com/teenesteem, or www.facebook.com/TeenEsteemCA.