Landon Ballard knows what it’s like to face obstacles—and overcome them.  Landon, a Rockford native, joined the MWAH! (Messages Which Are Hopeful!) Performing Arts Troupe at age 12 in 2011 after the troupe delivered a live performance at a high school in Champaign, Illinois.  As a teenager in MWAH!, he performed in live skits and songs focused on such topics as depression, mental health, bullying, racism, and substance abuse at schools across Illinois.  

As he reached high school, though, Landon’s pleasant, audience-pleasing façade concealed a truth known only to him and a few of his peers—he was using illegal drugs—including alcohol, marijuana, opioids, and harder drugs—and his drug use was becoming more significant with each passing year.  Like many young people, Landon hid the addiction well.  He earned decent grades in school and continued to perform with the troupe as if nothing were wrong.

In the years after high school, though, his substance abuse became worse, and he ultimately checked into a rehab program in the spring of 2020 through which he—with the help of substance abuse counselors and other professionals concerned about his well-being—extricated himself from the grip of drugs.  He landed a job in a factory and was on the way to putting his life back together until he was involved in a motorcycle crash on May 7, 2021.  After undergoing surgery for a fractured left wrist, among other injuries, Landon took on the challenge of physical recovery head-on.  Recognizing the need to avoid a relapse, Landon avoided any opioid-based painkiller following his wrist surgery, a decision which has served him well.  

Landon wants to share his story with students across Illinois and southern Wisconsin to give them the courage to make good decisions, recognize their self-worth, avoid addictive drugs, and seek help when they need it in order to reach their full potential as productive, lifelong learners.

Landon is working in conjunction with MWAH!, a 501(c)(3) non-profit group, to deliver school-based and community-based presentations during the 2023-24 school year.  The participating schools and/or community organizations are asked to set up a microphone, speaker system, projector, and projection screen for the presentation.  Landon’s visit includes a school-wide assembly as well as a post-assembly discussion session with a smaller group of students.  

Landon also confers with the school principal and other key administrators a few weeks prior to the presentation to determine each school’s primary areas of concern, such as bullying, vaping, suicide awareness and prevention, or other “hot button” issues relevant to a particular school.  School faculty, staff, and student services professionals are asked to be present for Landon’s presentation to students.  The post-assembly discussion session consists of students who are interested in discussing issues of concern in their lives in greater detail with Landon and a school-based professional (e.g., counselor, school psychologist, social worker, and/or other professional) who will ensure that students receive the school and community-based supports necessary to address their personal challenges.  In addition to the school-based professional, schools are encouraged to invite a community-based mental health professional to the main presentation and the discussion session, as well.

The MWAH! Performing Arts Troupe is seeking financial support from foundations, units of government, and individuals to underwrite Landon’s appearances at schools during the 2023-24 school year as well as his youth-focused videos (available on YouTube and at www.mwah.net) on mental health and substance abuse.  

If you are interested in speaking with Landon and learning more about how he plans to carry out his work in schools, we invite you to contact Landon by phone at (815)621-4303 or by email here or at landoballard99@gmail.com.

In addition, the MWAH! Performing Arts Troupe can be reached by phone at (630) 881-6730 for more information about Landon’s work and his strategies for connecting with youth.

Interested in having Landon give his presentation to your students?