Calais and Machias Maine – This October, Down East Community Hospital (DECH) and Calais Community Hospital (CCH) will welcome motivational youth speaker Jesse LeBeau to Washington County. Jesse will deliver six presentations to more than 1,200 high school students in grades 9 through 12 throughout the county.
This marks the fifth year the local hospitals have brought an inspirational speaker to area students as part of their commitment to supporting youth health and wellness.
Planning for the DECH/CCH Youth Speaker Series began in 2022 during the development of the hospitals’ 2023-2025 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). Through that process, hospital leaders identified a need to engage young people in conversations about challenges affecting many communities, including mental health, substance use, suicide prevention, and resilience.
While we wish our young people did not have to face these issues, we know they see them, experience them, and, in some cases, live with them every day.
The Youth Speaker Series was created to provide students with a message of hope, encourage honest conversations about difficult topics, and equip teens with practical tools to navigate life’s challenges. In addition to supporting organizations already working with youth, the hospitals continue to explore new ways to reach and support the youngest members of our communities. The hospitals plan to continue the Youth Speaker Series during future school years as part of their ongoing commitment to youth well-being.
Our 2026 speaker, Jesse LeBeau, helps students develop a strong mindset and build the support systems they need to succeed in life. His message centers on a simple but powerful truth – students cannot always control what happens to them, but they can always control how they respond.
Through his presentation, Jesse encourages students to:
- Choose thoughtful responses instead of reactive ones.
- Build resilience and develop a growth mindset.
- Recognize the people and influences that positively impact their lives.
- Surround themselves with supportive individuals who encourage their success.
- TEAM UP with people who help them grow and overcome challenges.
Jesse’s story began on a small, rugged island in Alaska, where he was often told he was too small, not talented enough, and should pursue something more realistic than his dream of playing basketball. He faced a choice: become bitter or become better.
Jesse chose to get better. Along the way, he learned that success is rarely achieved alone. He credits much of his journey to teaming up with the right people: the people who believed in him, challenged him, and refused to let him give up when things became difficult. That decision changed the course of his life.
What started as a dream led to opportunities to work with NBA legends, appear in major films and commercials, and build a platform that now reaches more than one million students worldwide.
