Sean’s House has been a ray of hope in Newark since the fall of 2020. Now, that light will shine even brighter with the addition of Sean’s Room at Saint Mark’s High School in Pike Creek.
Sean’s House is a safe haven off the University of Delaware’s campus that offers mental health support and services for the community.
The house, located at 136 W. Main St., is named after Sean Locke, a basketball player at the University of Delaware who battled depression and died by suicide on July 18, 2018 — a few weeks before his 24th birthday.
It works in tandem with its parent organization, the SL24: Unlocke the Light Foundation, which was created by Sean’s family with three goals in mind:
- Educate high school and college students about mental health and remove the stigma around it.
- Assist former athletes with the transition to a life without sports.
- Create a safe haven for youth to share their mental health journey with peers while receiving professional help.
Today, Sean’s House and the SL24: Unlocke the Light Foundation begin a new journey with the opening of Sean’s Room at Saint Mark’s, where Sean attended high school.
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Sean’s Room
The space will be open two days a week during lunch periods and will create the space for Spartan students to address mental health concerns and learn about resources in a relaxing setting, or casually stop by for a few minutes to decompress before continuing on their way.
The room features wall-to-wall windows that face the sports field, flooding the area with the warmth of natural sunlight.
Designed with the help of Chris Locke, father of Sean Locke and founder of the SL24: Unlocke the Light Foundation and Sean’s House, pale yellow walls emanate a cheery glow, reminiscent of the welcoming feeling and design elements found at Sean’s House.
An eating space features a countertop and a refrigerator with snacks for a midday pick-me-up. Navy blue and taupe couches, adorned with blue and yellow accent pillows, are available for lounging and provide a cozy atmosphere. Two private rooms are accessible for students to connect with support staff.
Sean’s Room support staff
As an offshoot of Sean’s House, the room will be staffed by University of Delaware students who are Peer24 Specialists at the Newark non-profit. These staff members had visited the school previously, and students had responded positively to their presence, said Saint Mark’s principal Diane Casey.
“You hear someone’s story and it comes to the forefront for many kids … The kids just come in droves to have a conversation. It opens Pandora’s Box,” said Casey. “It’s just a gift that keeps giving, as far as I’m concerned.”
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The Peer24 Specialists go through an eight-week, 60-hour training course and are equipped to deescalate high-risk situations. They will meet weekly with the school’s director of guidance to discuss needs and further assist students who may need outside help.
Chris Locke compares the Peer24 Specialists to big brothers and big sisters, calling them the “secret sauce of Sean’s House,” adding that without their volunteered time and shared experiences, 136 W. Main St. would not be as successful as it is.
“To have that older sibling, so to speak, be there for them – to understand that life they’re living – it’s so important,” he said. “I sometimes don’t understand the high school life my daughter is living. I went to high school 40 years ago.”
Placing a support space like Sean’s Room directly in the school means more students, especially those who cannot drive to receive support elsewhere, will be helped.
“Make it cozy, make it fun, and then have the conversation about mental well-being,” he said. “That’s the idea of Sean’s Room at Saint Mark’s. It’s a mini–Sean’s House on campus.”
Sean’s House has proven a major success since it opened its doors opened.
So far, 18, 634 visitors have walked through the front doors, 89 individuals have been saved from suicidal situations and 4,527 students have joined the team as Peer24 Specialists, representatives say.
Support for Sean’s House and the SL24: Unlocke the Light Foundation continues to astound Locke, who hopes the future of the organization includes expanding Sean’s Room to other schools.
“This serious issue, it has serious consequences if we don’t deal with it. That’s the whole point of SL24: begin that honesty, remove the stigma and have that conversation,” he said. “If we can be a Band-Aid, if we can transition these kids from suffering in silence … and help them get the support they need … That’s what Sean’s Room is.”
‘Such a gift’
It’s no surprise that when Saint Mark’s was approached by an anonymous donor about opening Sean’s Room only two months ago, the project quickly came to fruition.
For Casey, Saint Mark’s being the first school to open Sean’s Room “speaks to her heart,” adding that former students like Sean are Spartans for life, and it’s “such a gift” to have his legacy give back to current Spartans in this way, she said.
“I’m just so excited about it. I think mental health is so near and dear to everyone’s heart at this point,” said Casey. “The conversations need to be had. It’s not something you can ignore … If there are signs there, and they need to be addressed, we have to address them.”
To Sean’s dad, the Spartan connection is even more profound.
“It’s very personal because Sean loved going to Saint Mark’s,” he said while getting emotional, adding that a former coach of Sean’s called him “the lifeblood of the school” while he was a student.
“That’s who Sean was.”
The need for mental health resources
Guidance staff at the school have seen increases in depression and anxiety, lagging social skills and students struggling to adjust to pandemic effects. Several students have gone through personal tragedies, including the loss of a parent during the current school year.
These issues, along with the lack of a full-time psychologist or adequate widespread resources across the state, made the school’s need for expanded resources evident, said Casey.
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With Sean’s Room, they hope students can create more clubs centered around mental health and eliminate embarrassment about their struggles, and that the space will provide offerings for parents to learn and share. If needed, they will expand the hours to five days a week.
Saint Mark’s understands that mental health cannot be taken lightly and has a direct impact on student success. With Sean’s Room, it hopes to serve as a blueprint for other schools lacking mental health resources.
“That’s what it’s all about: Spreading the light,” said Casey.
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