Today I was an educational speaker at a couple of local schools
9:00 a.m. CST – Roosevelt High School was my first stop today. My goal was to inspire and motive all 700 students listening to my speech. There were four important points I wanted leave them with.
They were:
- To NEVER give up.
- It’s not what happens to you that matters, it’s how you choose to respond to what happens that is important. Make good decisions!
- The only failures are the ones who don’t learn from their mistakes.
- Greatness is all around you. Do not be afraid to ask for help from someone who is successful at something that you want to do.
I encouraged the students to improve a little each day and keep a journal to track their challenges and improvements. By keeping a daily journal they can identify areas they need to improve and have accountability to make the necessary changes. When they look back at the journal they can see that even small improvements each day when added all up can move mountains. When I’ve followed up with students at other schools that took this advice to heart I’ve always found it was a strategy that really worked to improve their success in school. At the end of my talk, I presented an autographed copy of my book, “There’s Always a Way”, to the school’s library. I really enjoyed my experience at the school. The students were great and were very interested in hearing about the Tour and what I had to say. I believe my education is the foundation to all my accomplishments and I encourage everyone to keep learning throughout their lives. Learning new things helps keep a sense of wonder and discovery within us and keeps us young. I’m passionate about learning and strive to pass that excitement on to students whenever I present as an educational and school speaker.
10:15 a.m. CST – We head to Beaumont High School, where I spoke to a much smaller group of about 70 students. I really enjoy interacting so closely with students. I like getting a chance to hear what they have to say, getting to know their concerns and being able to give them the tools to overcome any challenges they might face. Many students and teachers have told me I really made a difference in their lives and their quest for an education and nothing makes me feel better. The school principal gave Dora, Andy, and I a “Not at Beaumont” t-shirt. This was the principal’s most popular quote. I also presented this school with a signed copy of my book, There’s Always a Way, as well as a copy of my comic book. Once my book Revolutions is done (the story of my journey across the country pushing my wheelchair) I’ll be sure to get them a copy of that as well.
