senior year of high school we’re at the Welcome Back assembly the week school it
Welcome Back assembly the week school it
Welcome Back assembly the week school it started teachers staff and students are
started teachers staff and students are
started teachers staff and students are lined up in the bleachers of the
lined up in the bleachers of the
lined up in the bleachers of the gymnasium I’m sitting on the front row
gymnasium I’m sitting on the front row
gymnasium I’m sitting on the front row on the very floor fortunate enough to be
on the very floor fortunate enough to be
on the very floor fortunate enough to be right in front of the motivational
right in front of the motivational
right in front of the motivational speaker who was invited to give a talk
speaker who was invited to give a talk
speaker who was invited to give a talk before all of us throughout the duration
before all of us throughout the duration
before all of us throughout the duration of his speech he said one line that
of his speech he said one line that
of his speech he said one line that really resonated with me changed the way
really resonated with me changed the way
really resonated with me changed the way that I behaved from that moment forward
that I behaved from that moment forward
that I behaved from that moment forward with more sincerity than I’ve ever seen
with more sincerity than I’ve ever seen
with more sincerity than I’ve ever seen in anyone before he widens his stance
in anyone before he widens his stance
in anyone before he widens his stance but the shoulders back chest out and he
but the shoulders back chest out and he
but the shoulders back chest out and he says we spend more time thinking about
says we spend more time thinking about
says we spend more time thinking about our dreams than we do actually acting on
our dreams than we do actually acting on
our dreams than we do actually acting on them instead of focusing on the progress
them instead of focusing on the progress
them instead of focusing on the progress we could actually make well interesting
we could actually make well interesting
we could actually make well interesting now I didn’t have any dreams or goals at
now I didn’t have any dreams or goals at
now I didn’t have any dreams or goals at least not at the time so I thought to
least not at the time so I thought to
least not at the time so I thought to myself what could I be doing now that
myself what could I be doing now that
myself what could I be doing now that would reflect what I might be doing in
would reflect what I might be doing in
would reflect what I might be doing in the future
the future
the future and that line had inspired me to get to
and that line had inspired me to get to
and that line had inspired me to get to know my leadership advisor mr. break a
know my leadership advisor mr. break a
know my leadership advisor mr. break a fairly tall man with a smile almost as
fairly tall man with a smile almost as
fairly tall man with a smile almost as big as his heart and he believed that if
big as his heart and he believed that if
big as his heart and he believed that if you wanted to change the world your
you wanted to change the world your
you wanted to change the world your community your peers and ultimately
community your peers and ultimately
community your peers and ultimately yourself you had to be willing to
yourself you had to be willing to
yourself you had to be willing to challenge your status quo him with the
challenge your status quo him with the
challenge your status quo him with the help of an amazing leadership class got
help of an amazing leadership class got
help of an amazing leadership class got me to accomplish just that and it
me to accomplish just that and it
me to accomplish just that and it started with the small things like doing
started with the small things like doing
started with the small things like doing projects and making posters and then it
projects and making posters and then it
projects and making posters and then it built up I started giving announcements
built up I started giving announcements
built up I started giving announcements at lunch
at lunch
at lunch I am seeding assembly and ended up
I am seeding assembly and ended up
I am seeding assembly and ended up actually planning a school-wide assembly
actually planning a school-wide assembly
actually planning a school-wide assembly mr. Briggs has kept me under his wing
mr. Briggs has kept me under his wing
mr. Briggs has kept me under his wing even
even
even this very day in fact about a week after
this very day in fact about a week after
this very day in fact about a week after I graduated he sends me an email and it
I graduated he sends me an email and it
I graduated he sends me an email and it said mark you would be a great fit to
said mark you would be a great fit to
said mark you would be a great fit to speak at a Leadership Conference being
speak at a Leadership Conference being
speak at a Leadership Conference being held at Jackson High School that fall
held at Jackson High School that fall
held at Jackson High School that fall I’ll give you five minutes what do you
I’ll give you five minutes what do you
I’ll give you five minutes what do you say well do Z actively I took him up on
say well do Z actively I took him up on
say well do Z actively I took him up on that opportunity I spent most of my
that opportunity I spent most of my
that opportunity I spent most of my summer practicing prepping and
summer practicing prepping and
summer practicing prepping and rehearsing for that speech so when the
rehearsing for that speech so when the
rehearsing for that speech so when the time came for me to present I would be
time came for me to present I would be
time came for me to present I would be more than ready and that time did end up
more than ready and that time did end up
more than ready and that time did end up coming I remember it very crisp and
coming I remember it very crisp and
coming I remember it very crisp and clear
clear
clear remember the host introducing me calling
remember the host introducing me calling
remember the host introducing me calling my name me walking up to the center of
my name me walking up to the center of
my name me walking up to the center of the gym taking the mic and beginning my
the gym taking the mic and beginning my
the gym taking the mic and beginning my speech and everything goes as planned
speech and everything goes as planned
speech and everything goes as planned almost everything from beginning almost
almost everything from beginning almost
almost everything from beginning almost to the end when I realized I forgot
to the end when I realized I forgot
to the end when I realized I forgot something rather important I’d forgotten
something rather important I’d forgotten
something rather important I’d forgotten my conclusion and I remember standing
my conclusion and I remember standing
my conclusion and I remember standing there in front of these 1,200 students
there in front of these 1,200 students
there in front of these 1,200 students from all across the region the teacher
from all across the region the teacher
from all across the region the teacher that accompanying them waiting for me to
that accompanying them waiting for me to
that accompanying them waiting for me to say something that could potentially
say something that could potentially
say something that could potentially inspire them and I had nothing so he
inspire them and I had nothing so he
inspire them and I had nothing so he admitted to my fault
admitted to my fault
admitted to my fault I looked up at all of them and I said
I looked up at all of them and I said
I looked up at all of them and I said guys I’m sorry I forgot my final line
someone would walk up take the mic away
someone would walk up take the mic away a few people would give me a pity clap
a few people would give me a pity clap
a few people would give me a pity clap and I’d walk away in shame completely
and I’d walk away in shame completely
and I’d walk away in shame completely repressing that memory but instead what
repressing that memory but instead what
repressing that memory but instead what actually happened was rather interesting
actually happened was rather interesting
actually happened was rather interesting because in the split second after I
because in the split second after I
because in the split second after I accept what would happen but started out
accept what would happen but started out
accept what would happen but started out of this slow applaud next thing you know
of this slow applaud next thing you know
of this slow applaud next thing you know I’m standing in front of these 1,200
I’m standing in front of these 1,200
I’m standing in front of these 1,200 students giving me this huge standing
students giving me this huge standing
students giving me this huge standing ovation they all start shouting and
ovation they all start shouting and
ovation they all start shouting and cheering mark you got this on my friends
cheering mark you got this on my friends
cheering mark you got this on my friends like yeah you got this someone even
like yeah you got this someone even
like yeah you got this someone even she’ll probably still love you my
she’ll probably still love you my
she’ll probably still love you my teacher with the rig on the side smiling
teacher with the rig on the side smiling
teacher with the rig on the side smiling and clapping for me very indirectly
and clapping for me very indirectly
and clapping for me very indirectly teaching me something the virtue of
teaching me something the virtue of
teaching me something the virtue of vulnerability in the unconditional
vulnerability in the unconditional
vulnerability in the unconditional support that comes with it my senior
support that comes with it my senior
support that comes with it my senior year I was very shy and quiet and
year I was very shy and quiet and
year I was very shy and quiet and introverted I neglected any social
introverted I neglected any social
introverted I neglected any social interaction I could I spent most of my
interaction I could I spent most of my
interaction I could I spent most of my time in the library
time in the library
time in the library eating waiting for the next class period
eating waiting for the next class period
eating waiting for the next class period to start until one day one of my friends
to start until one day one of my friends
to start until one day one of my friends introduces me to this girl and for
introduces me to this girl and for
introduces me to this girl and for storytelling purposes we’re gonna call
storytelling purposes we’re gonna call
storytelling purposes we’re gonna call this girl Josie over time me and Josie
this girl Josie over time me and Josie
this girl Josie over time me and Josie began to form a really strong friendship
began to form a really strong friendship
began to form a really strong friendship chat me one day what can I do to be more
chat me one day what can I do to be more
chat me one day what can I do to be more active here on campus I thought about
active here on campus I thought about
active here on campus I thought about that for a moment and then I encouraged
that for a moment and then I encouraged
that for a moment and then I encouraged her to run for student government now
her to run for student government now
her to run for student government now she’s like me she was like me quiet shy
she’s like me she was like me quiet shy
she’s like me she was like me quiet shy a little introverted and this TAS
a little introverted and this TAS
a little introverted and this TAS required that she put ourselves out
required that she put ourselves out
required that she put ourselves out there that she make posters and market
there that she make posters and market
there that she make posters and market herself give a speech in front of her
herself give a speech in front of her
herself give a speech in front of her entire class but in spite of her
entire class but in spite of her
entire class but in spite of her skepticism her insecurities her one
skepticism her insecurities her one
skepticism her insecurities her one opponent she was going against Janet up
opponent she was going against Janet up
opponent she was going against Janet up winning that competition
winning that competition
winning that competition and to me I was just helping a friend be
and to me I was just helping a friend be
and to me I was just helping a friend be more active on campus helping a friend
more active on campus helping a friend
more active on campus helping a friend have something to put on their
have something to put on their
have something to put on their applications for college but to her it
applications for college but to her it
applications for college but to her it was an opportunity for her to push her
was an opportunity for her to push her
was an opportunity for her to push her limit to challenge her status quo and I
limit to challenge her status quo and I
limit to challenge her status quo and I was blinded that I was blinded that that
was blinded that I was blinded that that
was blinded that I was blinded that that is until the very last day of school
is until the very last day of school
is until the very last day of school after the senior farewell assembly have
after the senior farewell assembly have
after the senior farewell assembly have the ones saying their goodbyes and at
the ones saying their goodbyes and at
the ones saying their goodbyes and at one point I remember seeing her in the
one point I remember seeing her in the
one point I remember seeing her in the far corner of my eye she’s approaching
far corner of my eye she’s approaching
far corner of my eye she’s approaching me crying I grabbed her hands and I said
me crying I grabbed her hands and I said
me crying I grabbed her hands and I said Josie what’s wrong
real fast she goes I’m gonna miss you
real fast she goes I’m gonna miss you well thank you I’m gonna miss you too
well thank you I’m gonna miss you too
well thank you I’m gonna miss you too then we shared this nice little hug she
then we shared this nice little hug she
then we shared this nice little hug she goes no no there’s something more you
mark you changed my life five words five
mark you changed my life five words five words just like that to get me to
words just like that to get me to
words just like that to get me to realize what my advisor had been trying
realize what my advisor had been trying
realize what my advisor had been trying to teach me all along that when you want
to teach me all along that when you want
to teach me all along that when you want to change the world your community your
to change the world your community your
to change the world your community your peers and ultimately yourself you have
peers and ultimately yourself you have
peers and ultimately yourself you have to be willing to challenge your status
to be willing to challenge your status
to be willing to challenge your status quo and I’m grateful to have had an
quo and I’m grateful to have had an
quo and I’m grateful to have had an advisor like mr. brick who could see
advisor like mr. brick who could see
advisor like mr. brick who could see that I could be more than what I thought
that I could be more than what I thought
that I could be more than what I thought I could be and blessed to have had an
I could be and blessed to have had an
I could be and blessed to have had an opportunity to change someone’s life
however the question remains for you who
however the question remains for you who in your life can see something in you
in your life can see something in you
in your life can see something in you that you can’t yet see and who in your
that you can’t yet see and who in your
that you can’t yet see and who in your life can benefit by what you offer that
thank you
thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
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