JCK Foundation Talks Mental Health at Assembly, Workshops

When John Tessitore and Kevin McMahon from the JCK Foundation visited Eastchester High School to speak with students about mental health two years ago, there were three freshmen in particular taking note. 

This week, when Tessitore and McMahon returned to campus to once again meet with high schoolers to talk about the roles that connection and community can play in dealing with mental health struggles, they found a student body that was already amplifying their message, thanks to the efforts of those same three students—Anthony Annunziata, Chris Castaldo and Ryan McGee— who partnered with the organization to launch an Eastchester chapter of the JCK Legends Club earlier this year, an initiative that has met with great success thus far.

The JCK Foundation was established 14 years ago in memory of John C. Kelly—an Irvington resident who served as both a friend and mentor to Tessitore before his battles with obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression ultimately led to his untimely death in 2011. To honor Kelly’s life, Tessitore, McMahon and the rest of the JCK Foundation have worked with youth groups and businesses ever since to raise awareness about the importance of empathy and communication and to provide people with the social and emotional tools they need to have important conversations about mental health with friends, family and trusted adults.

On Wednesday and Thursday of this week, the JCK Foundation worked with high school students—both in an assembly for ninth graders and in breakout groups throughout the course of the two days—to share Kelly’s story and encourage Eastchester students to be more mindful of the emotional well-being of those around them. 

Annunziata, now a junior, said that it warmed his heart to see ninth graders as open to the message of the group as he and his friends were when they were first introduced to the organization. 

“Two years ago, we were sitting in these chairs just like these kids are now,” said Annunziata. “The JCK brought us in like a family. Mental health is serious, it’s a real thing, and it’s something that everyone has to deal with.”

Castaldo concurred, noting how engaging and personable Tessitore and McMahon are, and highlighting their ability to connect with students in order to bring this important message to the forefront.

“One thing I noticed is that you could see when kids came into the auditorium, everyone was talking and giggling, but once John started speaking, everyone focused in,” said Castaldo. “And that’s exactly what I felt when I was a freshman, too.”

Last spring, Annunziata, Castaldo and McGee organized the Eastchester JCK Legends Club’s first event, a JV baseball game that promoted mental health awareness and served as something of a soft launch for the student group.

This year, the club is continuing to promote the importance of mental health and illustrate how the connective bonds of a community can play a vital role in supporting the well-being of individuals, something that McGee said is going well, both through the club’s ongoing efforts and through events like this one.. 

“I think it’s great to see this message go out to the school, and it’s great to see how many people we can impact and how we can make this club grow,” said McGee. “I feel like our role now, as juniors, is to impact the younger kids in the school, talking to them, asking how they’re doing, and keeping them going.”

“This message is an important one and will make a big impact on the younger students,” added Castaldo. “They look up to us and what we do, so if we set a good example in terms of talking about mental health issues, I think they will follow suit.”