BYS acquires mental health project “Conversation Bench”
If you’re feeling blue on Bainbridge Island, there’s always a seat in the same color waiting for you.
The Tyler Moniz Project, a BI-focused mental health support program in the form of a distinctive bright blue “conversation bench,” has joined Bainbridge Youth Services. The project, founded in memory of Bainbridge High School’s popular class clown who committed suicide in 2016, is a low-barrier way for the community to seek connection and conversation.
“As the torch of TMP is passed on to BYS, our hope is that Tyler Moniz’s legacy lives on with each new bright blue conversation bench that adorns the island,” said Courtney Oliver, BYS Executive Director and Therapist. said. “Whether it’s a simple conversation or offering help, these connections can make a huge contribution to mental health.”
BYS has committed to installing new benches in local parks and schools every April, Monis’ birthday month. This year, the newest benches will be installed at Woodward Middle School. The public can support this project by joining the conversation on the blue bench or adding a dedication to the bench for $3,500.
The project was founded in 2017 by Monis’ parents, Lee and Jeff. Since then, the project has grown to include crisis counselors, support groups for those who have attempted suicide, scholarships, treasure hunts, ongoing conversations about youth mental health, and at least 13 benches around the island. has grown to.
Since 2017, the Tyler Moniz Project has helped bring together community organizations and service providers to raise awareness of the unique mental health challenges of Bainbridge Island youth. Especially young people experiencing serious mental health crises.
The organization fosters cultural conversations around mental health through its Conversation Bench project, sponsored film screenings, community and online discussion forums, public fundraisers, athlete scholarships, and Tyler’s Treasures advocacy efforts. We are working to increase the
Moniz’s obituary in the Review states that he died on April 30 of the same year. He was an outstanding wrestler, but was also a champion in foosball and Guitar Hero. He was an avid reader and enjoyed reading classics such as “Treasure Island” and “Gulliver’s Travels.” He is also known for belting out the theme song for the movie Frozen, and as a child he spent his childhood building a fort built by his father, a sword made from a tree branch, and a cloak made from a trusty green blanket. I was protecting it.
