Rising Stars: Meet Donte Jennings

Today we’d like to introduce you to Donte Jennings.

Hi Donte, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I am a 16-year-old 10th-grade student. I want to share my recent story and journey to help people learn how to keep going and not quit. I had a severe mental crisis with two prolonged hospitalizations. In 2021, my life changed drastically. I was going through a lot, and my mind and thoughts were unclear. I didn’t know where I was going in life. Over the course of that year, I was pulled out of school and home-schooled. During that time, my mother fought and became an advocate for me. I required 24-hour supervision by my mom, dad, younger sister, and supportive friends and family who helped me to recover and get better. After some time, I regained my mental state and developed mental resilience. A year later, I am back in school, hanging with my friends, running track, playing the piano, and still seeing my psychiatrist and counselor.

One day, I pitched to my mom the idea of us writing a book about my story, and she agreed. Hence, we wrote Don’t Quit; This Is Not the End. I am now a published co-author with my mom. And I speak and attend book signings, encouraging teens and young adults to not be ashamed but to get help and support for their mental health struggles or concerns. I am grateful to God, my family, and everyone who prayed and supported me and helped me to not give up on myself.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I have had several bumps along my 16-year journey thus far. I was born early at 31 weeks and weighed three pounds and two ounces. Unfortunately, I was always behind on my development and meeting milestones for walking and talking. I had to receive physical and speech therapy services to help with my walking and talking skills. I was in speech services from age 1 until I was 10 years old. Academically, I always struggled due to comprehension and learning issues I had to overcome. During this time, I was dealing with my parent’s divorce, which was really stressful. When I turned 15, I had a lot of changes in my home and school life. I was stressed about changes in my schedule, moving to a new house and neighborhood, and having to start a new school. I don’t remember much during my mental health crisis period. But my mom shared that I had to go through two extended mental health hospitalizations, each lasting 10-14 days. I had to be around my mother for most of the day. I struggled with sleeping also, so my mother spent several nights on the floor in my room to ensure I was safe. I was placed on a lot of medication, gained a lot of weight from the medication, and didn’t have much interest in doing things that I used to enjoy. After some time, things started to slowly get better. My recovery has taken about 14 months, and I am now doing and feeling much better. I am back in school, riding the bus, running track with my friends, and speaking about my book, and now I am an inspiration to young people in my community. This is what my friends, family, and other people tell me. I used to be ashamed of my story, and now I see that I am an overcomer based on what I have been through.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am most recently known for my book, Don’t Quit; This Is Not The End, released in July 2022. My book shares my real-life mental struggle and how I overcame it. I share my story to help others. My book features a workbook created with mindfulness strategies and tips for other parents and educators to talk to their youth about mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, mood disorders, emotional distress, and suicide. It also includes tips on ways to help teens and adults create a self-care plan for their life. Interestingly, I have also illustrated a book with my mother and sister on anxiety and test-taking fears for children called Buster the Test Anxiety Crusher. I am an influencer and motivational speaker who speaks on teen and young adult mental and physical health and wellness. I am also a member and a teen leader for Boys Matter 2 Men mentorship, a non-profit my mother founded to help connect boys ages 8-18 with male mentors in our local community. This non-profit aims to support single mothers and young boys who need extra time, support, and attention to help them succeed in life.

I am told that for my age, I have a strong, powerful, and unique voice that needs to be heard, and I am not ashamed to share my story to help others through their mental health crisis.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I don’t believe in luck but in prayer and God. I also had people in my community, school, and church who came together to help and support me. They would take me to church and spend time with me. My mom would take me to the gym and park to exercise and play basketball, and my dad helped me develop my physical body and stamina. I worked with my counselor, who helped me role-play scenarios and taught me coping skills. He also had me practice those skills in the community mall or local restaurants. I had a mother who encouraged me to share my story to help others and myself. She was right. At first, I really didn’t like sitting and spending so much time talking about my story while writing the book. But I was glad to have it completed and see the finished product come together. I am encouraged by the support I have received from my friends, family, and those who hear my story or read my book.

Pricing:

• Book: Don’t Quit; This Is Not The End Amazon: $20 Purchase Link on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B5X54YFR
• Book: Buster the Test Anxiety Crusher Amazon: $15 Purchase Link on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1720188351

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B5X54YFR/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tpbk_p1_i0
  https://www.amazon.com/Buster-Test-Anxiety-Crusher-Michael/dp/1720188351  https://www.dontejennings.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100059816615099
• Other: https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/education/nolanville-teen-writes-book-about-mental-health/500-fe47d399-04a5-45e9-9998-228936a862e5, Boys Matter 2 Men website

Image Credits
Michael Anthony’s Portraits New Image Media