Jordan Burnham, Thursday's speaker at Pottsgrove High School.
LOWER POTTSGROVE PA – Teen-age suicide survivor Jordan Burnham of King of Prussia, now a motivational speaker who encourages young people to talk about depression and suicide with their parents and other adults, was a guest speaker Thursday (March 19, 2009) at a series of three Pottsgrove High School assemblies.
Burnham “shared his compelling message,” a “unique story of how depression changed his life,” with students and faculty members during separate assemblies for freshmen, sophomores, and a combined presentation for juniors and seniors, the high school website reported. His address, sponsored by Pottsgrove’s SNAP Academy, served as a break for students from three days of “intensive” state-required academic testing, it said.
District Director of Technology Dr. Kristen Kozloski described Burnham’s message as “very moving.”
The SNAP (Student Needs Assistance Program) Academy is a team of student leaders at the high school who, with teachers, provide guidance and resources to other students, and organize drug- and alcohol-free activities. It receives funding from the district and the Pottstown Area Health And Wellness Foundation.
SNAP said Burnham’s appearance was representing The National Mental Health Awareness Campaign, a nationwide non-partisan public education effort launched in 1999.
Photo from Pottsgrove High School
Editor’s note: This story resulted from tweets received at The Sanatoga Post’s Twitter account. Feel free to follow us on Twitter @jzlomek.
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i was wondering.. Jordan came to my school back in Jaunary. And he spoke of a surgery that he was going to have that would enable him to walk again. I was just wondering if you had heard anything of this surgery. For instance if it was a success and he’s walking like normally
Hey John this is Jordan. The surgery went great and they actually took out the rod that was in my femur bone. This set me back because I couldn’t put weight on it for 6 weeks but therapy has picked up tremendously now and hopefully I can stretch out to the point that I have the posture to walk. I would say that June is my goal to walk, even if it’s with a cane.