Ryan's Story School Assembly FAQ

About Ryan's Story

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Q: What is Ryan’s Story Presentation?

A: Ryan’s Story is a 60-minute bullying and suicide-prevention presentation for students in grades 5–12. John Halligan shares the story of his son Ryan, who died by suicide at age 13 after experiencing bullying, cyberbullying, and depression. Through Ryan’s story, students learn about empathy, accountability, forgiveness, speaking up, and seeking help from a trusted adult. Since 2005, John has presented at more than 2,500 schools and reached over one million students.

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Q: Will this presentation be too heavy or upsetting for our students?

A: I open every presentation by telling students exactly this: "I'm about to tell you a sad story, but my intention is not to make you sad. My intention is to get you to think, perhaps differently, about the issue of bullying and how we treat each other. So it is perfectly normal to feel emotions during the storytelling — don't be embarrassed. But I promise you that by the end, I will leave you with a lot of positive thoughts and hopefully inspired." The presentation does include a difficult moment, but it is not a mental-health crisis talk — it's a bullying-prevention story with a hopeful, constructive arc. Schools do not need to treat it as a high-intensity event requiring special mental-health preparation beyond having the normal support staff you'd have for any assembly.

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Q: Is the same presentation delivered to all grade levels?

A: The core presentation remains consistent because the story and its central lessons are relevant across grades 5–12. Before each visit, John discusses the audience’s age range and any school-specific considerations with the organizer. Schools may also arrange separate assemblies for different grade levels.

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What Students Learn

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Q: What will students take away from the presentation?

A:  Students are encouraged to:

• Recognize how their words, actions, and online behavior affect others.

• Move from being a bystander to becoming an upstander.

• Speak up when they or someone else needs help.

• Identify trusted adults and available sources of support.

• Understand the value of accountability, apology, and forgiveness.

• Recognize common warning signs that someone may be struggling.

Most importantly, students hear a clear message: they matter, they are not alone, and asking for help is a sign of strength.

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Q: How is this different from other prevention programs?

A: Ryan’s Story combines a father’s personal experience with practical lessons about bullying, cyberbullying, mental health, accountability, and help-seeking. Rather than relying primarily on statistics, John creates a personal connection that encourages students to reflect on their choices and relationships. The presentation balances emotional honesty with hope, clear takeaways, and practical actions students can use immediately.

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Q: Is Ryan’s story still relevant to students today, and has the presentation been updated to address social media?

A:  Absolutely. John has continued to update and improve the presentation over the years while carefully preserving what has made Ryan’s story resonate so deeply with students from the beginning.

Rather than focusing heavily on TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, or whichever platform is currently popular, John’s presentation explores the human experiences behind them. Platforms will continue to change, but the underlying issues—online cruelty, peer pressure, isolation, mental health, empathy, and the need to ask for help—remain remarkably consistent. When students hear what happened to Ryan online, they naturally connect his experience to their own digital world. John has found that this is often more powerful than having an adult lecture them about how they should or should not use a particular app. The presentation has evolved through updated language, examples, pacing, and visuals, with an increased emphasis on mental health, asking for help, becoming an upstander, showing empathy, and recognizing when a friend may be struggling. Cyberbullying and the consequences of online behavior remain important parts of Ryan’s story, but they are presented within this larger message.

The technology changes. The need for kindness, empathy, good judgment, and the courage to reach out for help does not.

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Student Safety and School Support

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Q: How does the presentation address student emotional safety?

A: Ryan's Story is presented without graphic images, descriptions of suicide methods, or language that romanticizes suicide, following established suicide-prevention communication guidelines. Throughout, the focus stays on hope, healthy coping, help-seeking, empathy, and connecting with trusted adults. Schools receive preparation materials in advance, and families may request an alternative activity if they prefer.​

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Q: Has the presentation ever led to a negative outcome for a student?

A: In over 2,500 school presentations reaching more than one million students since 2005, no school has reported a safety concern requiring escalation beyond the presentation's built-in support process. Schools consistently report the opposite: increased kindness, students reaching out for help, and — in some cases — students who say the presentation was the reason they didn't act on suicidal thoughts. 

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Materials and Follow-Up 

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Q: What support materials are provided?

A:  Schools receive:

• A planning guide for the event coordinator.

• A parent-information letter.

• Pre-presentation preparation materials.

• Post-presentation classroom activities and discussion questions.

• Guidance for responding when a student asks for additional support.

• Additional resources for educators and counselors.

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Q: How can we reinforce the message after the presentation?

A:  Ryan’s Story is designed to complement your school’s existing prevention and student-support programs. The included follow-up materials help teachers continue age-appropriate conversations about kindness, accountability, help-seeking, and speaking up for others. Schools can also use the discussion guides in advisory periods, health classes, or other student-support settings.

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Parent & Staff Preparation

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Q: How should we prepare teachers and staff?

A:  School leaders should brief staff before the presentation and share the preparation materials in advance. Because Ryan’s story may be personally emotional for some adults, staff should know what support is available and whom to contact if they have concerns. Teachers are not expected to act as therapists or crisis counselors. Their role is to facilitate age-appropriate discussion and refer personal disclosures or safety concerns to the school’s designated mental-health professionals. The lesson materials provide suggested language and clear referral guidance.

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Q: How can we explain the presentation to parents and caregivers?

A:  Schools receive a parent-information letter that explains the presentation’s purpose, subject matter, safety approach, and key student takeaways. Ryan’s Story discusses bullying, depression, and suicide, but it does not include graphic imagery or descriptions of suicide methods. Its central messages are hope, empathy, help-seeking, accountability, and staying connected to trusted adults. Families may contact the school with questions or request an alternative activity for their child.

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Q: Is there a presentation for parents?

A: Yes. A 60-minute parent presentation titled “Ryan’s Story / A Father’s Hard-Earned Lessons About Cyberbullying and Suicide” is available for in-person and as a pre-recorded video. It shares lessons learned from the Halligan family’s tragedy, addresses the latest social media problems facing preteens and teens, and provides practical recommendations for parents to prevent suicide and bullying. Parents leave with a clear, actionable understanding of what their kids are encountering online — and practical steps to stay connected and engaged.

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Pricing , Scheduling and Logistics

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Q: What does the presentation cost?

A:  Current pricing is available on the Speaking Fee page. The presentation fee includes:

• One 60-minute student presentation.

• Pre-visit planning and coordination.

• Parent and staff preparation materials.

• Pre- and post-presentation educational resources.

No deposit is required, and there is no cancellation fee. Travel expenses and additional presentations are explained clearly before a school confirms its date.

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Q: How far in advance should we schedule?

A:  Schools are encouraged to inquire as early as possible, particularly for fall dates and spring awareness events. If John has an open date and travel arrangements are practical, a presentation can sometimes be scheduled with as little as one week’s notice.

View the schedule and request a date.

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Q: Can the presentation address our school’s particular needs?

A: The core story and safety approach remain consistent. Before the visit, John speaks with the organizer about the students’ grade levels, school culture, recent concerns, and any circumstances that may affect the timing or delivery of the presentation.

If the school has recently experienced a suicide, suicide attempt, or other traumatic event, that information should be shared during planning so John and the school’s mental-health team can determine whether the timing is appropriate.

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Q: Are options available for smaller schools or limited budgets?

A:  Neighboring schools and districts may coordinate dates in the same region. When scheduling and travel can be shared efficiently, this may reduce travel expenses. Schools can also ask about multiple presentations held at one location for students from nearby communities.

Contact John with your location, approximate audience size, and preferred dates to discuss practical options.

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Q: What does our school need to have in place?

A: No special certification is required. Before booking, the school should designate:

• A primary event coordinator.

• A counselor or qualified student-support professional who will be available during and after the presentation.

• A plan for assisting students who request support.

• A process for notifying parents and staff.

John provides planning materials and works with the coordinator before the visit.

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Experience and Results

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Q: What experience does John Halligan bring to the program?

A:  Since 2005, John Halligan has:

• Presented at more than 2,500 schools.

• Reached over one million students in the United States, Canada, and Latin America.

• Appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Primetime with Diane Sawyer, and PBS Frontline.

• Received the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award.

• Helped advocate for bullying-prevention and suicide-prevention legislation in Vermont.

• Spoken to educators, parents, policymakers, and international audiences about bullying, cyberbullying, and suicide prevention.

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Q: What kind of impact does this presentation have?

A: The impact is profound and lasting. Testimonials from former students show that Ryan’s story stays with them for years—even decades—after the presentation:

• Students who were contemplating suicide have credited the presentation with saving their lives

• Former students, now adults and parents themselves, still remember the core messages

• Schools report immediate shifts in culture, with students crossing social boundaries to show kindness

• Educators describe it as “the best presentation for students” they’ve experienced in decades of teaching

One former student wrote 14 years later: “Your assembly saved my life and helped me see the bright side of life. And I never forgot your words, ‘You can always turn an ink blot into a butterfly.’”

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Q: Have there been any external reviews or academic evaluations of Ryan's Story Assembly for Students?

A: In 2011, Dr. Bahíyyih Maroon conducted a formative evaluation of the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Florida’s UpStanders initiative, which included John Halligan’s presentations at ten Orange County middle schools and four community events.

The evaluation reported that approximately 90% of surveyed students responded positively in four of the five assessed areas. Among community respondents, 100% said they would recommend the event, while an average of 99% responded positively to questions concerning bullying prevention, cyberbullying, suicide prevention, and their ability to help prevent bullying.

[Read the complete 2011 UpStanders Formative Evaluation (PDF)]

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Booking

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View John’s schedule and send a brief request with your school name, location, preferred dates, grade levels, and estimated audience size. John will follow up personally to discuss availability and logistics.

[Check Availability and Request a Date]

Prefer to speak directly?
Email: johnhalligan@ryansstory.org
Phone: 802-578-8229