The Onsite Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity, announced “Hope And Healing For Heroes,” a special event for educators and staff across Metro Nashville taking place on Monday, May 1 at 6:00 p.m. CST at the Fisher Center at Belmont University. The night of community and unity is designed to equip, encourage and uplift our Nashville school’s educators, staff, and administrators following the recent tragedy at The Covenant School.
Tickets to Hope And Healing For Heroes will be free and open to educators and staff across Metro Nashville Public Schools, Private schools, and Universities in the Nashville area and surrounding communities on a first-come-first-served-basis. Hope And Healing For Heroes will provide attendees with an opportunity to connect in community and gain tools for navigating stress, fear, trauma, and grief. With essential resources and moving musical tributes, this special evening is offered to help restore hope as our schools continue leading children with resilience and hope. Programming will include uplifting musical performances by Nashville and GRAMMY-Winning Artists Lauren Daigle, Tyler Hubbard, CeCe Winans, Trisha Yearwood, and more to be announced.
The event will be emceed by Miles Adcox, Chairman at Onsite, who will share words of inspiration, and moderate a panel of experts in trauma-informed education and counseling services. These experts and leaders will share their experience, strength, and hope in navigating traumatic grief and coping with secondary or vicarious stress from teachers’ roles in supporting and reassuring students, parents, and colleagues.
Other guests speakers include:
- Sissy Goff, M.Ed, LPC-MHSP, CCATP – Director of Child and Adolescent Counseling, author of twelve books including a book on anxiety, and co-host of the popular podcast “Raising Boys and Girls”
- David Thomas, L.M.S.W. – Director of Family Counseling at Daystar, author of ten books including the best-selling “Wild Things: The Art of Nurturing Boys” and “Raising Emotionally Strong Boys: Tools Your Son can Build on for Life”, and co-host of the “Raising Boys & Girls” podcast
- Madison Lawn, MSCMHC, CET-II – Group leader at Onsite, crisis counselor with experience facilitating groups for grieving children and providing weekly therapy to students in a university counseling center
- Carlos Martinez, M.Div., MSMHC, LPC, ACS, CET-II – Lead Clinician at Onsite and Onsite Foundation’s Triumph Over Tragedy workshop, the nation’s first trauma-informed program for survivors of mass shootings
- Carlos Whittaker – Author, speaker, host of the Human Hope podcast as well as People’s Choice Award winner & social media storyteller
- Crystal Woodman Miller – Columbine survivor, inspirational speaker, author of “A Kids Book about School Shootings”, and Survivor Advisory Council chair for The Onsite Foundation
“The dramatic increase in the number of school shootings–and now having one in our hometown—has taken its toll on each of us. As a father and mental health professional who has been part of initiatives directly supporting hundreds of mass shooting survivors around the country, now is the time to come together in support of our community as we start the healing process,” said Adcox. “We must acknowledge the unique stress and pressure our teachers and educators are carrying,” said Adcox. We created this event in hopes of coming alongside them with support and resources while celebrating their vital role in leading the next generation.”
Teachers from the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Mass Shooting in Parkland, Florida will share words of hope and healing for our Nashville educators including Felicia Burgin, Diana Haneski, Amy Kenny, Stacey Lippel and Brittney Thomas, a student survivor of The Heath High School Mass Shooting in Paducah, Kentucky.
Local therapeutic groups and those who are providing teachers and students with funding for therapeutic services including Daystar Counseling Ministries, Green Hills Family Psych, Onsite Workshops, and more will be onsite to share information and ongoing resources. Attendees will leave with resources for themselves and their students to help navigate the weeks, months, and years ahead.
The event is organized and produced by Nashville-based entertainment marketing agency, FlyteVu and made possible via a donation from Tyler and Hayley Hubbard.
“As someone who has lost a loved one due to trauma from a mass shooting, I know firsthand the long-lasting effects of these school tragedies,” said Laura Hutfless, CEO of FlyteVu and former Board President of The Onsite Foundation. “As a new mom, I want to equip the teachers in our community who are leading our children through an unprecedented time with tools, hope, and confidence to step back into the classrooms and thrive.”
All educators and staff across Metro Nashville Public, Private and Universities can claim a free general admission ticket starting Friday, April 21 at 10:00 a.m. CST at www.hopeandhealingforheroes.com. Doors for the event will open at 5:00 p.m. CST and programming will start at 6:00 p.m. CST. For more information on resources and tools available, please visit onsiteworkshops.com/nashville.
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