Speaker Bio:

Sandy Austin is a recognized expert in helping kids cope with trauma, bullying, suicides, and the aftermath of school shootings. As a school counselor for 24 years, Sandy has counseled students in the aftermath of five school shootings, plus multiple suicides at a sixth school. Twenty-two years ago, Sandy started a school club called the B.I.O.N.I.C. Team (Believe It Or Not I Care) which empowers students in schools worldwide (kindergarten through college) to reach out to struggling peers to let them know they are seen, they matter, and they are not alone. B.I.O.N.I.C. is now a nonprofit of which Sandy is the Executive Director. She is an international and TEDx speaker, has written three books, was an American School Counselor Association (ASCA) “School Counselor of the Year” finalist, and has won two Lifetime Achievement Awards. She is a recognized leader serving as a three-time President in state school counseling associations in Colorado and as ASCA’s Crisis Facilitator.

Talk Title:

The Kid Who Noticed: A Blueprint for Saving Each Other

Talk Summary:

The Kid Who Noticed: A Blueprint for Saving Each Other challenges the idea that creating safer schools is solely the responsibility of adults. Through powerful real-life stories, the talk shows how students can become “Peer Connectors”—young people equipped to recognize loneliness, reach out to struggling classmates, and create meaningful connections before problems escalate. By teaching empathy, courage, and emotional literacy, schools can empower students to become part of the solution. The message is simple yet transformative: one caring student can change—or even save—another student’s life, and together we can build stronger, safer, and more compassionate school communities.