The Moth Radio Hour is a program, podcast and live-event series that features everyday people sharing compelling stories about their own lives. Over the years, The Moth has even built a set of tools for educators, including lesson plans, storytelling guides, and prompts, “helping young people to share stories, build community, and gain confidence.”

That appealed to Jessica Asay, a 6th-grade literacy teacher at Tennyson Knolls Preparatory School, who planned and hosted her own Moth Radio Hour performance in the school library earlier this year. After weeks of learning about story structure and engaging dialogue, each student wrote about their own personal adventures and anecdotes. Out of more than 30 students who completed the assignment, 6 brave kids volunteered to share in a live presentation in front of their peers.

Complete with snacks and treats brought by the students, the feeling in the TK Prep library was celebratory, creating a safe environment for the students to share their experiences. Story topics ranged from riding a bike or learning to swim, to more serious topics like losing family, bullying and even suicide.

“I really wanted to emphasize that they have a story to tell,” explains Asay, “and that was the main thing. It doesn't have to be these huge life-changing things that are happening, but just the idea that they have experienced challenges and they have persevered.”

That was certainly the case for one girl, who recounted a tragic experience at her previous school when a friend of hers who was being bullied ended up taking his own life. The student became tearful after her presentation was over, explaining that the adults around her at the time had encouraged her not to think or talk about the traumatic event.

But that’s the opposite of what a supportive response to trauma in children should look like. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, family, friends, and trusted adults play an essential role in helping youth cope with these experiences by allowing them to be sad or cry and notably, “letting them talk, write, or draw pictures about the event and their feelings.”

Asay confirmed that the goal of the event was to validate her students’ experiences and provide a platform for them to express themselves. “It was their story to tell,” says Asay, “As long as it was class appropriate, I just really wanted to make sure they know that their stories are valid.”

Asay herself was the last performer of the day, modeling vulnerability and strength for her attentive audience as she explained how she was reluctant to get into teaching as a profession. Her first year as a student teacher was discouraging, with a lead teacher who told her she wasn’t cut out for the job and a particularly difficult student who she felt she wasn’t able to reach. At the end of the year the student told her “I’m sorry– you’re a great teacher and I’m really glad I got to know you.” That same student died later that year.

“That was my moment where I realized,” continued Asay, wiping away tears, “at least I had done something for that kid. And I wanted to keep doing that for as long as I possibly could.” She ended her speech by bringing the message back to the students sitting in front of her.

“If there’s anything I want to tell you, it’s that you have people around you who care about you.”

It was a powerful message that clearly resonated with everyone in the library that day. Asay hopes her students will remember these moments of sharing and connection, “even if they forget the specific details of their stories or the writing strategies they used, these are the moments that I want my students to remember in 10 years, in 20 years.”

If you know of someone who is struggling with stress, anxiety, depression, or isolation, please explore the Less Stress with WPS website to find resources, access to therapy, family support, a list of school counselors and more.