November 22, 2011 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Communications JEREMY TAGGART AND TOM BARLOW LAUNCH Department TCDSB “STOP THE STIGMA” CAMPAIGN: 80 Sheppard Avenue East No Health Without Mental Health North York, Ontario M2N 6E8 Jeremy Taggart, member of the popular band Our Lady Peace and Juno Award- winner Tom Barlow will participate in this year’s launch of the Toronto Catholic District School Board’s Stop the Stigma campaign for secondary students and staff Media Contact: on November 25th. Emmy Szekeres Milne Acting Manager Mr. Taggart will be the keynote speaker and Mr. Barlow will perform at the day- Communications long symposium to be held at the Montecassino Event Venue located at 3710 416-222-8282 Ext. 2356 [email protected] Chesswood Drive in Toronto.
Studies indicate that one in five adolescents struggle with mental health issues Information: throughout their lives. The “No Health without Mental Health” Symposium is Sheila Gilkinson intended to raise awareness regarding mental health issues and to support student TCDSB Student Success Lead teams in raising awareness within their own school communities. In addition, it will 416-222-8282 Ext. 2780 provide a base of knowledge out of which local activities such as Stop the Stigma or and other Mental Health awareness activities can occur. Last year, 17 TCDSB secondary schools ran a Stop the Stigma campaign. Eight new schools are Carmela Giardini scheduled to come on board this year. It is the goal of the TCDSB to have all 34 Program Coordinator, Student secondary schools involved with Stop the Stigma by 2012-2013. Success 416-222-8282 Ext. 2538 Mr. Taggart joined Our Lady Peace at the age of 17. The band has sold over 5 million albums worldwide and has since won four Juno Awards and ten Much Music Video Awards. He is a social activist who has worked with groups such as War Child and who recently hosted Foodstock. Jeremy’s connection to the cause of mental health awareness is a personal one and his address will reflect his experience supporting a family member with a mental illness.
Tom Barlow is a graduate from Brebeuf College in the TCDSB. He recently released his new CD The Beautiful a three-time Juno Nominated Singer for his first CD which produced two top 10 Radio and Video Singles. He is the winner of the Canadian Rising Star Award and he was nominated for the Canadian Radio Music Award. In addition to all of these accolades Tom works with many organizations to change the world through music.
Symposium workshops include: Living and Coping With Anxiety; Laughing Like Crazy; Suicide and Self-Harm: What to notice and what to do; The Listening Ear; Lost and Found (parents and youth speak out about teenage depression); Put On Your Air Mask First; Why Strengths and Taking Care of Yourself Matter. A complete list of workshops and program for the day is available at: www.tcdsb.org. - 30 - The Toronto Catholic District School Board educates more than 93,000 students from diverse cultures and language backgrounds in its 201 Catholic elementary and secondary schools and serves approximately 475,000 Catholic school supporters across the City of Toronto.