There's nothing easy about finding the right speaker for your school or district. First, you have to find someone with a compelling story and message that kids will respond to. In a world dominated by reality television and Internet clips, grabbing their attention is always an uphill task. At the same time, there are logistical concerns - how can you get the speaker from one location to another? Can they connect with twelve year olds as well as they do twelfth graders?
And finally, even if you find someone who meets all of those criteria, how are you going to pay for them?
If you've found yourself struggling with any or all of these issues, you're in the right place. Keynote speaker Kevin Saunders isn't just a well-known athlete and motivational personality - he's also a veteran of the K -12 speaking circuit. Working with districts around the country for more than 20 years, he's had the chance to talk to kids of all ages and backgrounds about his stunning rise from ruin to become a champion athlete, author, and movie personality.
Woven into his uplifting stories about how he made it to the top (he decided to Never Give Up!), Kevin shares what it was like to work with Presidents, Senators, Governors, and even Hollywood directors and producers - and then he shows your students how to do it themselves. Like Kevin says: "Pain builds courage! You cant be strong, brave and a winner if only good things happen to you. You have to go through the tough times and obstacles to find out what your really capable of."
Best of all, because Kevin has been working with schools so long, he has the knowledge and background to help you find the funding for your event. Our schools are too precious to ignore their potential; contact Kevin Saunders to see how easy it is to bring his program to your district - and then watch your students make his determination their own.
See a few of the school districts that have worked with Kevin
Motivating School Students to Stick with It!
One that I’ll always remember was at a motivational talk I was giving called Breaking Barriers and Transcending Limitations at a high school in Nebraska. I love speaking at schools. Students are some of the best audiences, and I feel it’s important to encourage kids to stay in school, never give up and get the best education possible.
On this particular day, I finished my speech and hung around signing autographs for a few minutes afterwards. After the kids were dismissed, a young man approached me from the audience. He told me that he had been planning to drop out of school the next day. His reason was the same one that we all have when we give up: It was just too hard. But, after hearing what I’d gone through, he said, he was going to give it one last shot. He figured that if I could come back from what I’d been through, then maybe it wasn’t over for him, either. I told him to GO FOR IT! – To reach for his dreams and goals with everything he had and to Never Give Up! - And to keep in touch.
Well, he did both. Not only did that young man go on to finish high school, but he also graduated from college and is now a successful business owner with a lifetime positive attitude and a leader in his community.
Of course, he had to do all of the hard work to make that happen, but I’m still overjoyed when I think of the small part that I played in his success. He and I still talk from time to time, and every time it is a wonderful reminder that we can make a difference in this world.
As a motivational speaker, I had the opportunity to address the Southwestern Bell Corporation (SBC) at the request of Bret Shugarts in Dallas. Bret Shugarts was the Manager of the Yellow Pages division and wanted me to challenge his sales team to go out there and sell the biggest book in company history. He had set the bar pretty high, so during my Peak Performance Seminars, I asked each sales person to tell me what they’d have to produce to make it happen.
After they answered, I worked with each rep individually and challenged them to go beyond the sales target they’d quoted, to add a little more. It was a huge office, but I met with every single one of them, until each had given me a business card with their new goal on the back. I also gave each person a copy, with these words written alongside the new total: “GO FOR THE GOLD! - If It Is To Be - It's Up To Me!”
From time to time, I followed up on them individually, telephoning each and every one of them to make sure they were on track to hit their goal during the sales canvas. It was hard work for all of us, but it was worth it. Every last producer hit their goals—with the majority of them surpassing what they’d written. The excitement in the office was palpable. Not only did they set new records for themselves and their company, but many of them won vacations and other gifts.
I couldn’t overstate what a joy that was for me. It was great fun and an honor to be a part of their win. They all had it in them; they just needed a nudge in the right direction. From there, it was just a matter of doing some one-on-one motivational speaking, a skill I learned from working with top-tier football teams as a motivational coach.
