Juniors of Hillsborough High School were called to the auditorium for an assembly Feb. 25. In two different periods, speaker Matthew Bocchi delivered his inspiring speech. Matthew Bocchi is an author and speaker who is known for his best-selling memoir, “Sway.” Bocchi shares his story about losing his father in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and how he struggled with addiction, trauma and his path towards recovery.
“I feel like it was an inspiration to hear his life story about how you can bounce back from hard times,” junior Jessica Raia shared. “It encouraged me to want to reach out to my friends every now and then to check up on them.”
“I thought it was a very powerful speech that actually landed on a lot of people,” said junior Kyle Susa. “I feel like it hit much deeper than many people thought it would and his speech was exactly what many people needed to hear.”
“It was clear he had been through a lot and I truly felt for him. Although I did not personally relate to his struggles, I hope that someone benefitted from his words and is currently on the way to improving their lives,” said junior Darshiini Waden.
Bocchi has appeared in documentaries while invitationally speaking at different high schools and colleges around the country. His personal story has inspired many students to speak up and seek support for what they might be struggling with.
The work Bocchi advocates for aims to reduce stigma surrounding addiction and mental health by impacting at least one student every time he shares his story. Bocchi tries his best to remain in control of his life since he doesn’t have an “off-switch” as he described. “I want students to realize that it’s not about me or my story. Each kid in that assembly has a story, and they need to find someone to share their story and struggle with. My hope is that they will do that after hearing me share. We all have something we’re going through, and we need to realize we’re not alone in that struggle. We can help each other by talking about it and being there for one another.”
“I think that is beneficial for students’ mental health and that being open about hardship can help you overcome it,” said junior Nick Silvestre.
“After hearing his story I learned to listen to people with more empathy and compassion because everyone deserves someone they can talk to,” junior Angelina Santos added.
Principal Jeffery DiLollo shared his thoughts on the importance of listening to stories like Bocchi’s. “Providing opportunities for our students to hear firsthand accounts from a speaker like Matt Bocchi, who focuses on awareness and individual growth, is an important element in bringing key areas of our health curriculum to life,” he said.
“Experiences like this help students make meaningful real world connections, deepening both their personal understanding and our collective learning as a school community,” DiLollo added.
For more information, Matthew Bocchi’s website includes many useful resources to reach out: https://www.matthewjohnbocchi.com/about
