SCVTHS Students Welcome Speaker for Annual Week of Respect - Motivational Speaker Matthew Bocchi

BRIDGEWATER – Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School (SCVTHS) students and staff welcomed motivational speaker Matthew Bocchi as the keynote speaker during the Week of Respect, which schools across New Jersey observe from October 6-10. The Week of Respect is an annual event that is held to recognize the importance of social and emotional learning (SEL) and to promote the prevention of harassment, intimidation, and bullying (HIB) in schools.

Mr. Bocchi spoke to students and staff about his mental health issues and his battle with addiction, which were the result of trauma from the loss of his father during the 9/11 attacks. While he has chronicled this struggle in his best-selling memoir, “Sway,” his message of hope and resilience resonated more strongly with this in-person presentation. Mr. Bocchi, who is celebrating 10 years of sobriety, spoke to the SCVTHS community about the need to de-stigmatize addiction and trauma, and the importance of supporting people who are dealing with these issues.

After finishing his presentation, Mr. Bocchi opened the floor to questions. Students and staff were able to use a QR code to post anonymous questions on topics such as depression, the temptation to relapse, and coping with addiction and sexual abuse. It was hoped that the presentation and the conversations around these questions contributed to Mr. Bocchi’s goal of impacting at least one person each time he speaks to a group.

SCVTHS Director of Special Services Maria Johnson stated that the Week of Respect “encourages students to feel empathy, understanding, and respect towards one another” adding that Mr. Bocchi “is an excellent example of someone who was able to find a path out of a dark place in his life and use that experience to help others.”

The observation of the Week of Respect started in New Jersey in 2010 as an outgrowth of the State’s Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act. Over the years, school districts around the State have developed programs designed to raise awareness among students and staff about respect, diversity, and the importance of preventing and standing up to bullying.

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