OS, Inc. is sending lots of love to every OS Team during Suicide Prevention Month! We know this month can be incredibly stressful but we encourage all of you to begin those conversations, check in on your friends and loved ones, and prioritize your mental well-being!

Make sure to check out the newly updated OS, Inc. website, see your eyes peeled for the launch of the amazing OS, Inc. store, and the 2025-2026 Webinar Booklet. There is so much in store for OS, Inc. this year, we can't wait to share it all with you!

The Fall Showcase is Monday, September 29 from 8:30AM-3:00PM at NIU Naperville. Below there is more information, a highlight of speakers, and what to expect. There are only a few seats left so make sure to register today if you are interested!

September is recognized as Suicide Prevention Month, this is a reminder of the work that still needs to be done in order to prevent suicide in our communities.

According to recent data, teens (ages 10-24 years old) are at an all time high risk of suicide, it is recognized as the second leading cause of death for teens in the U.S. For Illinois teens ages 15-24 years old, suicide is now the third leading cause of death.

Begin the conversations today about suicide, signs of suicidal ideation, and local resources for all individuals. These conversations can help save lives.

Illinois Suicide Statistics. American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. (2025). https:asp.org/facts/illinois 

Teen Suicide . John Hopkins Medicine. (2024). https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/teen-suicide 

Meredith Steciuk from Stevenson OS shares her favorite de-stressing tricks for anxiety and stress during Suicide Prevention Month:



"Happy September everyone! I hope everyone is having a good transition to the cooler weather. 

September is suicide prevention month which is very important to acknowledge. Unfortunately there are many people who lose their lives to suicide each year. It's important for people to have things they can do for themselves to feel better. I will be sharing some of my favorite ways to cope with stress and anxiety. 

One thing I like to do is color. I find coloring books with simple shapes, and color for hours while watching a show or movie. This allows me to focus on what I'm coloring, or my show/movie, which allows me to de-stress. Another way I cope with stress is exercising. Whenever I feel stressed I will get my body moving which makes me not think about anything else besides the specific workout I'm doing. Some examples of exercises I do are running on a treadmill, walking outside, and even playing “just dance” on my TV. 

I also enjoy taking long showers to de-stress. Taking showers makes me feel refreshed and better about myself. Talking to my family also really helps me feel better. My family is always there to listen and sometimes I'll just rant to them after a hard day, and it always makes me feel better. 

The last thing I rely on is spending time with my OS team. I love being around my OS team because they always have positive things to say to me. There is never a dull moment with them and I know I can always rely on them to feel better after a rough day. I hope everyone has a good start to their September and takes some of these de-stressing techniques I use into the month with them. Make sure that you're there for your loved ones not only this month, but all the time, and don't forget that there are many people there for you too."

Our fall Showcase is an opportunity for our OS Teams to network and build connections with a variety of new speakers, while also gaining new knowledge and perspectives about various topics. If you're currently looking for new speakers, content, research, or activities to include in your plans for 2025-2026 school year, you are going to want to register for this event!

The event will include a 20-minute TED Talk-style keynote, allowing you to have a first impression about the presenters and the presentation they do best. From there, students and adults will be attending two rounds of one-hour workshops, based on the speakers they connected with most during their TED Talks. 

We have limited seats available, so make sure to register today! If you have any questions about registration or the event, please reach out to Michaela Price, michaela@ilabh.org!

We are beyond excited to announce that our new and improved OS, Inc. Website is ready to go! With the launch of our new website, we have an updated Member's Only Portal; this contains all of our toolkits, guides, and pre-recorded trainings, login information will be released shortly via email to each Snowball Accredited Team's adult leader.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out for assistance. We hope you enjoy our new website and find our Member's Only Portal a fantastic resource for this school year!