When Brian Marquez was in high school, he never imagined that his future path would lead him back to those very same classrooms. But that’s exactly what happened. His full circle story is one of inspiration and a deep desire to make a difference. After completing his teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) certification, Marquez returned to his alma mater, Technology Leadership High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, not as a student, but as a tMHFA Instructor. Here’s how his journey unfolded, and the powerful impact tMHFA had on his life and those around him.

It all began with a conversation with his basketball coach, Charles Dorsey, who encouraged Marquez to take the tMHFA course during his senior year. At first, the student wasn’t sure what to expect, but once he began the training he was hooked.

“I took the course, and it really piqued my interest,” Marquez said. “The things I learned about how to support others and how to guide myself, stayed with me. It was also an incredible professional growth opportunity for me.”

Through the course, Marquez learned not only about how to help others with mental health challenges, but also how to better navigate his own personal struggles. “I went through my own mental health challenges, and learning how to overcome them was life-changing. That’s when I realized that I could help others who felt like there was no way out.”

Marquez’s journey didn’t stop with taking the course. He became involved with the X3 internship program through Future Focused Education, designed for high schoolers in New Mexico who are interested in exploring various career paths. Through this program, Marquez was introduced to the field of health and wellness, which ultimately shaped his decision to pursue teaching tMHFA.

“I loved the feeling of helping others,” Marquez shared. “I wanted to become someone who could make a real difference. I also realized that if I had this knowledge earlier in my life, I might have made different choices. It made me want to be there for others, just like my coach had been there for me.”

After graduating, Marquez continued his education through an X3 NeXt internship, which allowed him to further develop his skills. It wasn’t long before he knew what his next step would be — becoming a tMHFA Instructor.

“I started teaching within a year,” he recalled. “I observed a few courses to see how the Instructors taught, and then I dove in. I knew this was what I wanted to do.”

As Marquez began teaching tMHFA at his former high school, he found himself drawing from his own experiences as a student. He remembered what it was like to be bored in class, passively taking notes, and he didn’t want his students to feel the same way.

“I try to make it engaging and interactive. Last semester, I had my students act out skits about how to support a friend facing a mental health challenge. They had a blast, and the acting was incredible — fake crying and all! It was fun, but it was also a great learning experience.”

His students, many of whom were considering careers in the health field, were surprised to learn about mental wellbeing and MHFA. For some, it even shifted their career goals. “A few students who were interested in the health field ended up wanting to get into mental health after the course,” Marquez said. “Some of them had family members dealing with mental health issues, and the course helped them see how they could encourage their families to seek help.”

For Marquez, one of the most rewarding parts of being a tMHFA Instructor has been hearing from students who express how much the course has impacted their lives.

“Students have come up to me after class and thanked me, saying that what we learned really helped them through tough times,” he said. “Knowing that I can make a tangible difference in someone’s life is incredibly fulfilling. I’m building relationships with these students — many of them are siblings of students I knew when I was in high school. It feels like a family, and that makes it easier to connect and teach them.”

For Marquez, teaching tMHFA isn’t just about sharing information. It’s about creating a space where students feel supported and empowered. “It’s about making sure they know there’s help available and that they’re not alone,” Marquez reflected.

Marquez’s passion for mental health advocacy doesn’t stop at the classroom door. He dreams of a future where mental health awareness is widespread and suicide rates are reduced.

“My ultimate goal is to see a 20% decrease in suicide rates,” Marquez shared. “The statistics are staggering, and I want to be part of the solution. I believe that teaching teens about mental health can make a huge impact, and I’m committed to helping as many as I can.”

Visit MHFA.org/teens to learn how you can bring tMHFA to your school or youth-serving organization. To learn more about how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges in others, find a MHFA training in your community.