At The Montfort Academy, we hosted a meaningful mental health assembly featuring Donovan Taylor Hall, a respected youth coach and advocate for positive self-development. This event focused on helping students build self-worth, develop emotional resilience, and learn practical tools for managing stress. Through his inspiring storytelling and engaging activities, Donovan encouraged the Montfort community to embrace kindness, connection, and greater self-awareness in their everyday lives.

Media—especially social media—plays a powerful role in shaping how society views mental illness and criminal behavior. On one hand, these platforms often perpetuate stigma, casting mental illness in a negative or fearful light. On the other, they sometimes romanticize or oversimplify serious conditions, creating confusion and spreading misinformation. Trends like self-diagnosis and repeated exposure to violent or disturbing content can worsen mental health challenges, dull emotional sensitivity, and even contribute to increased aggression over time. In fact, early and consistent exposure to violent media in childhood has been linked to greater likelihood of aggressive or criminal behavior later in life.

Written by Nialynn Cueto