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Tim Tebow is to be the guest speaker at the “There is Hope” event at Freedom Hall Civic Center on May 15. The event is presented by 4ThirTEEN, an organization created for teens and led by a teen advisory board. The organization provides support to youth ages 13-21 through principles of faith, fortitude, family, and fun. The name is derived from Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.”

In the past several months, the Northeast Tennessee region has lost seven students to suicide with countless more suicide attempts among teenagers. The Centers for Disease Control tells us that before the arrival of COVID-19, in 2019, an average of nearly 36.7% of high school students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. Last year, that number jumped to 44.2.

“Over the past two years, a spirit of depression, anxiety, defeat and death seems to have saturated our youth,” said T.R. Dunn, founder of 4ThirTEEN. “Mental health, particularly among teens, has become something that people all over the world have had to learn to acknowledge and seek support to cope with life’s challenges. We cannot just sit back and allow this to continue without trying to reach those hurting and present them with a message of hope.”
4ThirTEEN, a ministry of Summit Leadership, will host a community event May 15 at Freedom Hall Civic Center to counter the despair that is claiming our youth. “There is HOPE” will feature a message of inspiration from keynote speaker, author, Heisman Trophy winner and two-time NCAA National Football Champion, Tim Tebow.

The “There is HOPE” event will begin with games, music, and door prizes at 5 p.m., followed by Tebow’s program at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 each for students and increase to $50 each for those 26 and older. Group sales (more than 8 tickets) and schools are encouraged to call 321-482-2922 or email kim@summitlife.org to purchase group tickets.