INSPIRING EXCELLENCE: PRACTICES OF GREAT SCHOOLS AND GREAT STAFF!

In this dynamic, highly interactive presentation, participants will discover the common ingredients of all great schools, teachers, and staff. You’ll hear stories from across the country about practices that really work, and you’ll be informed about the most recent research from the Gallup Organization and Search Institute on the importance of a strength based approach and seeing youth as participants, not recipients, parents as players, not protagonists, and communities that support youth in innovative ways. You’ll discover how focusing on “small changes” improves attendance, grades, and even test scores! Participants will also learn how great schools focus on nine key areas to create thriving environments, and will learn about the most important characteristics students want from their teachers. This presentation is guaranteed to leave participants affirmed for the great practices they are already implementing, and have them inspired to begin a new school year, or encouraged to adopt practices grounded in research once the school year is in session.   

FROM HIGH RISK TO HIGH PERFORMING

In this keynote you’ll discover how resiliency research tells us that at-risk students who demonstrate challenging behaviors need programs that focus on what’s positive and allows them to contribute to their school. You’ll learn how Just one highly disruptive student (as we all know) can divert learning dramatically. Many “tough” students are unaffected by principal visits, suspensions, or expulsions. When asked to do something, some students will respond: “you can’t make me,” and they’re right! The bottom line is that we can never punish students to stay in school, and one of the most compelling and powerful ways to begin to shift this approach this is through an innovative approach of meaningful work, the power of relationships, and youth as active participants, not recipients!You’ll discover how to begin a Meaningful Work program that thoughtfully assigns school jobs to students and how each has an adult to mentor them in real life skills and how to the power of relationships and youth as participants can transform the school. Disruptive students begin to see themselves in a different way and teachers are thrilled that they get a break from having that student out of class with the hope behavior will begin to change. What are the outcomes?These approachesdramatically reduce high risk and inappropriate behaviors, creates connectedness to school and caring adults while increasing thriving behaviors that can translate into higher attendance, grades, and test scores. We’ll cover how the entire student body and faculty can be involved!

Inspiring Excellence: Practices of Great Schools & Great Teachers

In this dynamic, highly interactive presentation, participants will discover the common ingredients of all great schools, teachers, and common characteristics of staff. You’ll hear stories from across the country about practices that really work, and you’ll be informed about the most recent research from the Gallup Organization and Search Institute on the importance of a strength based approach and seeing youth as participants, not recipients, parents as players, not protagonists, and communities that support youth in innovative ways. You’ll discover how focusing on “small changes” improves Attendance, grades, and even test scores! Participants will also learn how great schools focus on nine key areas to create thriving environments, and will learn about the most important characteristics students want from their teachers!  

 
Inspiring Community: Creating a Culture or Organization that Cares for All Kids!

In this highly insightful presentation you’ll discover the three major events in North America in just the last sixty years that have impacted youth dramatically. In a culture where only 75% of today’s adults believe the youth of today will have a positive impact upon the future, the participant will also discover the seven highly unique and positive qualities of this generation and how to capitalize upon them. Through heart touching stories, participants will also identify the “circle of influence” where they can have the greatest impact. Consistently rated outstanding, Vollbracht’s book, Stopping at Every Lemonade Stand: How to Create a Culture That Cares for Kids is a wonderful complement to the presentation.   

Inspiring Business & Community: Changing the World One Kid at a Time

In this dynamic, highly interactive, very inspirational, story-driven keynote, participants will delight at discovering how kids who were “written off,” but befriended by adults went on became household names and change the world. From the remarkable stories of Oprah Winfrey to John Wayne to Winston Churchill, and how this relationship based approach can have powerful impact upon all aspects of a kid’s life and future of our culture. Business and community members will be challenged to adopt the philosophy and emerging movement to “Change the World One Kid at a Time” through mentoring, supporting service projects, or helping youth develop entrepreneur skills by joining the National “Lemonade Day,” currently in hundreds of communities across North America.