Ryan's Story Middle & High School Student Assembly
Grades 5–12 / 60 minutes
John Halligan brings a father’s perspective to the conversations schools want students to take seriously: how we treat one another, how we respond to emotional pain, and when to ask for help. Through his son Ryan’s story, John invites students to reflect on empathy, accountability, forgiveness and the difference their everyday choices can make.
John began presenting Ryan’s Story in 2005. He has shared the program with 2,500+ schools and reached 1M+ students. Plan for 60 minutes total: personal storytelling followed by guided discussion and reflection. Allow additional time for students to arrive and leave.
Educator Resources & Follow-Up
What Your School Receives
The student assembly includes pre-visit coordination, parent/staff preparation materials and pre- and post-assembly educational resources. The grades 5–12 lesson plan provides classroom preparation, discussion questions by grade band and follow-up activities in PDF and editable Word formats.
Before: Prepare students, staff and families with the planning guide, parent notification letter, introduction video and classroom warm-ups.
During: The 60-minute student assembly includes personal storytelling followed by guided discussion and reflection.
After: Continue with grade-appropriate discussion prompts, reflection activities, printable posters, a parent follow-up letter and the family discussion guide.
Plan your school’s support: Coordinate with your counselor or student-support team, share your school’s support contacts and adapt activities to your students and school procedures. Read the planning guide and preparation and student-support FAQ.
Sample Activity: Upstander Pledge
A 20-minute middle-school activity asks students to write three personal commitments to support peers and speak up when someone is being hurt. Sharing or displaying pledges is optional and requires permission.
Download Editable Lesson Plan (Word)
Explore All Educator Resources
These materials support the student assembly. The optional parent program is a separate presentation for families.
Bullying & Cyberbullying
Ryan’s experience makes the impact of bullying personal. Students consider how teasing, exclusion, rumors and online cruelty affect someone else, and how their own words and actions contribute. John encourages empathy, taking responsibility for harm and choosing to support a classmate who is being targeted.
Mental Health & Suicide Prevention
John discusses depression, emotional pain and suicide through his family’s experience, keeping the focus on hope, connection and help-seeking. The presentation does not include graphic imagery or descriptions of suicide methods. Students hear that they matter and that asking for help is a sign of strength.
Ryan’s Story is an educational assembly that complements a school’s ongoing prevention and student-support efforts. It does not provide diagnosis or treatment. Explore the prevention resources for further information and support.
Belonging, Connection & School Culture
Small choices can help a classmate feel noticed and included: starting a conversation, reaching across social groups or standing beside someone who feels alone. Ryan’s Story gives students and staff a shared starting point for discussing those choices. Follow-up conversations help schools connect the assembly’s messages with the everyday work of building a caring community.
Recognizing When a Friend Is Struggling
Students are encouraged to notice when a friend seems isolated or distressed, listen with care and take concerns seriously. John emphasizes reaching out to a trusted adult rather than trying to handle another person’s difficulties alone. The goal is to connect someone with support, not to ask students to diagnose or counsel their peers.
Responsible Online Behavior
Technology changes, but the person receiving a message still matters. Ryan’s story helps students reflect on what they post, share and join in online. The assembly connects digital choices with empathy and responsibility, inviting students to consider the effect of a rumor, cruel comment or private message on another person.
Upstanders & Trusted Adults
John challenges bystanders to become upstanders: support someone who is being targeted, avoid joining in harmful behavior and involve a trusted adult. Students are encouraged to identify parents, teachers, counselors or other responsible adults they can turn to when they or a friend need help. Accountability, apology and forgiveness are part of the conversation, alongside the importance of speaking up.
Personal Experiences & Evaluation Context
Former students, parents and educators have shared reflections on what they remember from Ryan’s Story, sometimes years after the assembly. Their accounts describe the meaning they found in its messages of compassion, connection and asking for help. These individual experiences offer useful perspectives for schools considering the program; they are not a guarantee of the same response from every audience.
A September 2011 formative evaluation of the UpStanders initiative included John’s presentations at ten Florida middle schools and four community events. It reports audience feedback and observations from that implementation; those findings do not establish long-term prevention outcomes or guarantee results for every school. Read the 2011 evaluation.
Read results and lasting impact and explore the schools John has visited.
Preparing Your School & Continuing the Conversation
Schools receive planning and follow-up materials to help prepare students and families and reinforce the message afterward. John works with the organizer to discuss grade levels, logistics and circumstances that may affect the timing of the visit. A designated counselor or student-support professional should be available for students who need additional support.
Read the school assembly FAQ for preparation and logistics. The parent presentation offers families another opportunity to discuss online behavior, teen mental health and staying connected.
Booking & Availability
To discuss a visit, send your school’s name and location, preferred dates, grade levels and estimated audience size. John will follow up personally about availability and planning for your 60-minute student program. You are welcome to ask questions before choosing a date. There is no obligation until we confirm the details together.
No deposit required. No cancellation fee. Payment is due within 30 days after the presentation. Normal travel expenses are included, with no limit on student audience size. Schools may share a presentation day to reduce costs. View pricing and full terms.