“Sean’sHouseisasafespacethathelpsmenavigatethe challengesofathleticsandcollegelife.It’sagreat placetodecompress,connectwithpeople,andgetsupport withoutjudgment.Sean’shouseprioritizesyourmental healthandwellbeing,helpingyoustaygroundedwhile balancingeverydaylife!”
Last year, we embraced the theme "More Than," emphasizing that young people are more than just athletes, grades, struggles, or successes. This theme reflected the abundance of experiences, potential, and light within each individual. This year, our focus shifts to “Sharing the Light.” Starting with our annual “Thank You Event and Lighthouse Awards,” SL24 highlights how people support one another by showing they care, offering help, and using their talents to uplift others.
SL24 and Sean’s House demonstrate every day that we are more than our struggles. People take their experiences with darkness and turn them into stories of hope, strength, and shared light for others. A powerful example of this was when Board Member and St. Georges VoTech instructor Marty Cunningham and Sean’s Room Coordinator Emily Riale shared a tearful testimonial about how their relationship, from student-teacher at St. Georges to now, has been a source of light for each other.
Considering the shared light of their friendship, it is fitting that 2025 marks the addition of a Sean’s Room at St. Georges, where light will continue to be shared in a meaningful way. These personal connections and stories of light being passed from one person to another are the foundation of this movement, and they will continue to drive our growth.
We encourage you to look for the small moments in your life to share your light, and let others add light to your journey as well. Through it all, SL24 will continue advancing its mission to educate, support, and assist so that more light can be shared, and none will be extinguished.
ZacharyRyanExecutive Director, SL24
SL24 equips youth with the knowledge to recognize mental health challenges, find support, and take steps toward wellness.
SL24 removes barriers to mental health care by connecting youth to specialized resources and offering scholarships to ensure financial access to therapy.
SL24 created Sean's House and Sean's Room to provide safe and brave spaces, empowering youth to seek and offer guidance from their peers.
"HavingaspacelikeSean’sHousehasbeen invaluabletome.Theabilitytotakeabreak fromthepressuresofcollegelifeand connectwithpeoplewhocarehasmadeall thedifference.”
Zach Ryan is the Executive Director of SL24 UnLocke the Light, a role he has held since joining the team in 2023. Originally from Cape Coral, FL, Zach brings lived experience with mental health challenges as well as dedication to SL24’s mission. Before stepping into his current role, Zach earned an MPA from USC and worked in education as Dean of Mission at Salesianum School. A guiding light on Zach’s journey has been his wife Maggie, whose wisdom, compassion, and unwavering belief in him have shaped the leader and person he is today.
Angela is a Delaware native and has been a supporter of SL24 and Sean’s House from the very beginning! She officially joined the team as Director of Sean’s House in 2023 after a ten year career in high school social studies education. When she’s not at the House, you can likely find her with her three lights: her husband Giuseppe, daughter Adrianna, and son Vincenzo. In her free time, she lives by the three R’s: reading, relaxing, and reality tv.
Fallon joined the Sean’s House team in 2022 as a Peer24 Specialist. In 2023 she became a Peer24 Lead, and then took on the role of Sean’s Room Coordinator. Currently, Fallon is the Director of Operations at Sean’s House. She graduated from the University of Delaware with a Bachelors in Sociology. Fallon is from Long Island, New York and currently resides in Newark, Delaware with her many books and arts & crafts supplies.
Gina has been part of Sean’s House since 2021, providing clinical support and training for our peers and peer leads. She also maintains a long-standing private practice After earning her Master’s in Social Work from the University of Maryland in 1993, Gina began her career with the state of Maryland’s Family Preservation program at Harford County Mental Health. She later served as a guidance counselor at Mount Aviat Academy. In her free time, Gina enjoys running and exploring her family history through ancestry research
Jean-Marie (better known as Jean) joined the Sean’s House team as the Peer Support Manager last August after graduating from Towson University with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Administration, Human Resource Management concentration. She is a Cecil County, MD native and enjoys arts, crafts, literature, the outdoors, and tending to her small plant colony!
Missy joined the team at Sean’s House in 2022 as a Peer24 Specialist and became a Peer Lead in 2023. Shortly after graduating from the University of Delaware this past spring, Missy became the Social Media Manager for Sean’s House and SL24, where she has been able to combine her passion for mental health with her love of content creation. Outside of making graphics on Canva and filming instagram reels, Missy loves to travel, discover new music, read, and spend time with the brightest lights in her life - her parents & 3 siblings.
As of July 2024, Emily is our Sean’s Room coordinator. Emily is a 2024 UD psychology graduate and is now one year into her Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program at Wilmington University Emily is passionate about providing a space for adolescents to feel safe opening up about their struggles. In her free time, Emily loves spending time with her boyfriend and dogs.
EmilyRiale Communications Specialist
am has been partnered with SL24 through Public Allies elaware since July of 2024. Her job as a Communications pecialist includes web design, podcast production, and working n our monthly newsletter, The Guiding Light She is a University Delaware alumni with a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts. In her free me, Sam enjoys photography, videography, and playing the uitar. The brightest lights in her life are her parents, her two der brothers, and her sister-in-law.
BillBathon
TrevorCooney
MartyCunningham
DrewDiFonzo
DennisFish
CarlGeorigi
EmmaGrey
BillHarman
BarnettHarris
KevinHealy
DebbieHorn
StevenHyde
MichaelIgo
ThomasJ.“T.J.”Hanna
SarahWilliams
AllisonJuhl
JeffLang
ChrisLocke
KathrynLocke-Jones
CyndiMcLaughlin
SteveWheat
MicheleWhetzel
DomenicDiUbaldo
13,000+ PEOPLE EDUCATED
RSOs, and more. If people gathered, SL24 was there to spark the discussion on mental health.
1,100+ EVENT TABLE VISITORS
Personal and specialized interactions are so important to helping people struggling and getting our message out. We have supported hundreds of brave people seeking resources.
600+ WORKSHOP/PROGRAM VISITORS
In 2024, SL24 kept the community engaged with a variety of activities, including art classes, essential oil workshops, continuing educations programs and more at no cost.
Every week dozens of young people gather at Sean’s House with their teams, classes, youth groups, fraternities, sororities and more. They enjoy a meal together while they learn about the Peer Support resources at Sean’s House. These meals are our Gather and Grow Dinners.
In November of 2024, we decided to hold a Gather and Grow for the whole state of Delaware to talk about mental health. The 1 Gather and Grow Delaware Mental Health Summit was st
held at The Teen Warehouse and featured over 120 students and faculty from 20 different schools in Delaware. Keynote speaker, documentarian Benjamin Wagner, spoke on recognizing stress and strategies for managing these moments. Student keynotes explored different dimensions of our “More Than” theme highlighting athletics, family dynamics, and the challenges of simply being a young person today. SL24 is excited to “Share the Light” in November 2025.
In 2024, Sean’s Room expanded its reach across Delaware, deepening our commitment to youth mental health. New Sean’s Rooms opened at Salesianum School and St. Georges Technical High School, with students at Salesianum completing Peer24 Specialist training to support their peers. At both schools, these new spaces address a growing need for emotional support.
At our established sites—St. Mark’s High School and Teen Warehouse we continued providing care, especially in response to the loss of beloved staff members, by adding support staff and grief services.
Youth engagement remained strong across all locations, with teens participating in Peer24 training, SL24 clubs, and fundraising. This involvement helped us award 23 therapeutic service scholarships in 2024. The year closed with Sean’s Room featured by Delaware Online, spotlighting our growing impact statewide.
In 2024, SL24 was able to assist 23 uninsured or underinsured youth through our mental health scholarship. Increasing accessibility and affordability to care for those struggling with mental health makes our commmunity stronger.
In May 2024, SL24 was honored to be featured on The Jennifer Hudson Show, offering a national platform to share our mission of suicide prevention, mental health advocacy, and hope. Co-founders Kat LockeJones and Chris Locke shared the story behind Sean’s House and highlighted the impact of Sean House's programming. Jennifer Hudson emphasized the power of storytelling, community healing, and prevention, helping to amplify our message to millions of viewers across the country.
As part of this unforgettable experience, Denny’s surprised SL24 with a $10,000 donation live on air, helping to expand our reach and fund additional peer-led mental health resources. This generous gift reflects the growing recognition of the importance of youth mental health and the role of community partners in saving lives.
As we’ve grown over the past year, we’ve learned that true support extends beyond individual sessions. Light shines brightest at its source, so we’ve focused on strengthening our core supporting Peer24 Specialists and Leads through consistent guidance, mutual support, and outside partnerships. By nurturing our internal foundation, we help each peer shine brighter for the guests they serve. Here's how we’re turning that into action:
Continuing Education: Inviting a broader range of professionals to provide mentorship, networking, and skill-building opportunities for Peer24 staff.
Peer24 Training: Expanding beyond guest support to include selfcare, regular debriefs, and follow-ups with leadership and clinical staff.
Staff Huddles: Creating space for Peer Leads to express challenges and request specific support.
Team Expansion: Growing the Peer Lead team to allow for flexibility and bring in diverse perspectives.
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“Ispokewithaguestwhowasgoingthrough
somethingsimilartosomethingIwentthrough about8monthsago.Iwasabletoconnectwith theguestandletthemknowtheywerenot alone.Theyleftwithasmileontheirface.”
“Yourpresentationinspiredmetostartcomingto Sean’sHouse,notonlythatbutalsototakecareofmy mentalhealthandmylovedones.”
“IhadameaningfulconversationwithaPAWs owner.Ihadjustreturnedfromafuneralandwe sharedourthoughtsonlossandgrief.Shelosther husbandunexpectedlyatayoungage,whichgaveher auniqueperspectiveonthesubject.Wetalkedabout allofthepositiveandpossibilitiesthatcomefrom tragedy.Ithinkwebothlefttheconversationfeeling upliftedandsupported.”
THREE-POINT
CBM Insurance
Diamond State Financial
DSM Commercial
High 5 Hospitality
I Heart Radio
Kevin & Marian Healy
Martuscelli Restaurant Group
Nemours
Salesianum School
TKO Hospitality
Ward & Taylor, LLC
SLAM DUNK
Bay Country Landscaping
Cafe Napoli
Chipman, Brown, Cicero, and Cole
Delaware Heating and Air
El Diablo
Formal Affairs
Kristina Gwynn Photography
Lang Cares Foundation
Lang Development Group
The Locke Family
M&T Bank
Malvern Behavioral Health
Merit Construction Engineers, Inc
Morris James LLP
Saint Mark's High School
JUMPER
Aardvark Pest Control
ASI Waste
Bill Harman
Boulden Brothers
Capitol Environmental
Capriotti's
Mannington Floors
Matt Golczewski Memorial Fund
Mayhew Management
Megan McDonough
Morgan's Message
New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer
Poland & Sullivan Insurance
Ray & Chris Ianni
Sarah & Gina Williams
SEM
Turf Pro Inc
The Windley Family Foundation
WSFS
LAY-UP
ABC Creative
ABHA
Acred Creative
Advant-Edge Solutions of Middle Atlantic, Inc
All-Star Entertainment
Alpha Graphics
Anaconda Protective Concepts
Ashby Hospitality Group
Atwell
Baker Ingram & Associates
Battaglia Electric
Bayard Law
Bear Industries
Berger McDermott Harris
Breckstone Architecture
Blue Hen Parking Partners
Cathryn and John Locke-O'Hara
Charlie Health
Creative Financial Group
CSC
Dan Reeder, CBRE
David and Patty Bull
The DaVinci Group
Eckert Seamans Law
ERP Safety
First Citizens Community Bank
Flooring Solutions
GGA Construction
Grotto’s Pizza
Harford Bank
Homegrown Cafe
Isaiah Bell Digital Media
Live For Thomas
LMT Commercial
Luke and Dana Chapman
Maillie LLP
Matt Dutt Rentals
McCool Insurance
Morton, Valihura & Zerbato
Mt. Aviat Academy
Muscle Movement Foundation
Newark Country Club
The Newark Partnership
Newark Rotary
Orth Financial Group
Oxford Dental
Paul Campanella's Tire and Auto
Playa Bowls
Radiance Dance Studio
RE/MAX
Release Recovery
Roja & Verde
Rufo Law Firm
Schlosser & Associates
Scott Klatzkin & Family
Simplified Payments
The Ski Bum
Timothy's of Newark
Tricia Curtin-White & Family
Tsionas Management
UD Business School
UD Horn Entrepreneurship
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White Clay Creek Presbyterian Church
Young, Conaway, Stargatt, and Taylor LLP
Jersey Mike s Lenarr
The Lighthouse
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The Matt Haley Trust
Nemours
NetStream Technology LLC
Platinum Dining Group
ACE
Dewey Beach Surf Shop
DSM Commercial
Five Below
Formal Affairs
The Hanna Family
Hyatt Place Newark / Green Mansion
Life Med Institute
Saint Mark's High School
Slunks
LIGHT
Accent on Travel
Big Fish Group
Black Tie Moving Company
Blue Hen Parking Partners
CRX Construction
The Dental House
Dewey Beach Watersports
The Dewey Post / BAKED
EDiS Company / Clark Family
Grain on the Rocks
Highway One
ID Griffith
IG Burton
Initially Yours
Mint & Needle
Pulaski Legion of DE
The Thatcher/Grey Family
Timothy's of Newark
TKO Hospitality
Tyrant Wrestling Wawa
Weidman & Townsend, P A
Woody's Dewey Beach
SET
ALL Caps Technology
Breakthru Beverage
The Burns Family
Clariti Wealth Advisors
DEL302 Management
Delaware Payroll Services
Cool Springs Fish Bar and Restaurant
Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits
Dewey Beach Country Club
Financial Advisors of Delaware Valley
GGM Property Maintenance
Grotto Pizza
Hockessin Athletic Club
Hoop Tea
IV Drip Bar
Jim + Carol McKelvey
Kids Coastal Beats
La Vida Hospitality
Lion's Den Candle Company
Love Yourz DM
Middletown Fence & Railings
Nickle Electric
Northbeach Staff
Padua Academy
Patterson Schwartz Real Estate
Premier Volleyball
Pure Barre/ Navy Real Estate LLC
Ralph G DegliObizzi and Sons
Rekindled
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Rocking the Docks
Salesianum
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St Edmond's Academy
Statewide Mechanical
Sublime Mind
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Ursuline Academy
WSFS
BUMP
Angela Cason Loans
Beyond the Bar United
Big Chill Surf Cantina
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Brown & Brown Insurance
Cape Henlopen Volleyball
Christiana Mechanical
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Dewey Beer Co
Good Clean Fun Life Productions
Harrison Windows and Doors
Hosmane Cardiology
IBEW Local 313
Josette + Steve Castiglione Real Estate
Katie Wethman & Kenny G
KMW Management
Nalu
Nikki Miller for State Representative
Octolounge
Pike Creek Mortgage Services
Sanford School
Signature Alert Security
Soulfire Collective
Starboard Raw
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The Dye Guy
Todd's Powerwashing
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Urban Float
"Mostpeopleknowmeasafun-loving,energetic volleyballplayerthatiscommittedtomyteammates, coachesandclassmates;whattheydon'tknowisthat deepdown,Istruggle.ThereasonIagreedtospeakon thistopictonightistoencourageanyofyouthatarein painorwhoaresufferingtospeakup."
KEEN COMPRESSED GAS
ALLEN LABOR LAW
RIVERSEDGE FINANCIAL ADVISORS
SIEGFRIED ADVISORS
TSIONAS MANAGEMENT
RANDY MITCHELL
“Igaveatour[ofSean’sHouse]toawomanand
shestartedtotearup,shesharedthathersister hadrecentlytriedtotakeherlifeandshewasso gladthataplacelikethisexists.Attheendof thetour,shegavemeabighugandsaidhow wonderfulthespacewas.”
2025 is going to be the BRIGHTEST year yet for SL24 and Delaware mental health! You don’t want to be on the sidelines when it comes to all the Awareness Events, SL24 Speaks presentations, Sean’s Room openings, and more. Be sure to look out for our quarterly newsletter and follow us on social media for updates on what is happening next and how you can add your light!
