Our Story
From 1987-2001 a 3-on-3 basketball tournament was focal point of fundraising activities combined with an annual raffle in which every entrant won a prize. Since 2001 our Annual Raffle and individual donations have fueled fundraising activities.
The disbursement of these funds is divided into three groups: local, regional, and national.
Our local recipient is Glenview Northbrook Youth Services, which deals with troubled teens and at risk youth services in the Glenview / Northbrook area.
Maryville Academy in Des Plaines in a regional recipient as is Father John Smyth’s Standing Tall Foundation.
On a national level we are currently supporting suicide research activities at the Medical College of Wisconsin working with Doctor David Clark. Anyone who wishes to support these activities can donate by going to the donation page.
Through the many years of Fundraising, Maryville Academy was able to open the Stephen Sexton Training Institute for service providers serving children, adolescents and their families. The Stephen Sexton Training Institute fills a gap of information about the prevalence, consequences and effective treatment of trauma in children’s lives.
Your donations help support these programs.
Father John Smyth
Executive Director
Standing Tall Foundation
Deceased 4/16/19
The funds received by the Standing Tall Charitable Foundation assist at risk youth and their families.
The ability to break out of a never ending cycle of poverty and violence is instrumental in achieving mental health and overcoming depression.
This underscores the Foundations and belief that education is the key to achieve these goals and this fulfills the promise of, "It's better to light one candle than to curse the darkness". The Stephen Sexton Memorial Foundation is one such candle.
Sister Catherine Ryan
Executive Director
Maryville Academy
Over the years the generosity of the Sexton family and others who have contributed to the Stephen T. Sexton Memorial Foundation has enabled Maryville to enhance and enrich its training program, a program not only offered to employees, but one that also at times reached into the community to provide training to other professionals and to parents.
The Stephen T. Sexton Memorial Foundation has enabled us to provide training directly and indirectly focused on suicide prevention. We appreciate all that the Stephen T. Sexton Memorial Foundation does as an ongoing memorial to Stephen to help us help others
John Lehrmanns
Clinical Research
Medical College of Wisconsin
The Medical College of Wisconsin has used the funds from the Stephen Sexton Memorial Foundation to help fund activities in a number of different venues.
The annual Door County Seminar Institute for regional health care professionals was just one of these.
John Lehrmanns continues to expand the focus of his research on geriatric depression and dementia. This is just a few of the activities sponsored by the
Stephen Sexton Memorial Foundation.
In summary, thanks to the generous support from the Sexton Foundation, MCW’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine continues to make progress in the education of the community, education of regional behavioral health care and primary care providers, improving access for behavioral health care, and researching depression and dementia and their relationship.
Amy O'Leary
Executive Director Northbrook/Glenbrook Youth Services
Funding from the Stephen T. Sexton Memorial Foundation provides vital services to our community. This funding helps in many ways:
Responding to emergency situations where young people are at risk
Providing training for professionals who work with at-risk young people through the Sexton Seminar for Suicide Prevention
Working in schools to help remove the stigma about seeking help when one feels suicidal or fears for a friend
Training interns entering the social service field to help them understand, recognize and respond to clients who express suicidal thoughts and behaviors
I thank you for giving us the opportunity to help our community through your generous funding.
Download The Sexton Memorial Foundation Pamphlet
Maryville Academy partnership initiatives.
To continue to organize and host the annual Stephen Sexton Suicide Prevention Seminar
To continue to hold seminars, workshops and training events that educate not only Maryville staff but also the larger community on topics related to trauma and suicide prevention.
To continue to train Maryville program staff on the research and best practices that make a positive difference in addressing trauma and suicide.
To provide Maryville staff with initial and advanced training in the ARC (Attachment, Regulation, and Competency) Model of Care, a treatment model that enables youth care workers to recognize trauma triggers and opportunities for earlier intervention regarding a child's mental health treatment needs. The increased awareness helps to reduce suicidal ideation and demonstration of self-harming behaviors exhibited by some Maryville youth.
Programs in 2019
The Sexton Institute along with the Jen School hosted a presentation on April 16, 2019 on “Hot Topics In Special Education Law.” Darcy Kriha and Mohammed Lakhani, partners at Kriha Law, gave an overview of new legislation passed in 2018-2019. The presentation was well attended by local area school administrators. Several participants said they wish it had been an all-day workshop.
On May 30 we hosted an all-day seminar on Youth Mental Health First Aide. This is in partnership with Presence / Amita Health. Within a week we had met capacity and had 26 on the waiting list.
On Sept. 12, during National Suicide Awareness Week, we presented on military culture and veteran suicide.
Learn more about the Stephen Sexton Training Institute programs >
“You make remarkable things happen at MCW. You contribute to an innovative approach to medical education that focuses on delivering the highest level of care in the most compassionate way possible. You enhance our ability to respond to and manage crises. You drive research that gives patients access to the latest and most effective treatment options-many that are available only at an academic health system. You help us cultivate and nurture community and patient partnerships that result in expanded healthcare opportunities for everyone, including patients who face significant obstacles to getting the care they need. Gifts from our friends do this and so much more, and we appreciate your belief in the power of these endeavors.”
- Jason Kraiss
Interim Vice President & Chief Development Officer
Medical College of Wisconsin
