David Flood, a youth motivational speaker, made his way onto the stage at Canajoharie High School donning a light blue shirt with the word love bolded in the center, began his motivational presentation with humor and honesty.
Flood spoke to the students about improving their lives and the lives of those around them through positive social interactions. During his powerful talk, he interwove stories about his daughter and his autistic son to relate his message on the importance of showing dignity and respect for all.
As part of his presentation, he encouraged students to be accepting of people who are perceived as being different.
“I want you to do three challenges today,” he said. “I hope you will do these three challenges until the end of the school year and beyond.”
Flood gave the students three challenges:
- We are all alike on the inside. Start looking at people from the inside, not the outside.
- Show respect for adults, especially teachers. Find two adults in the building, look them in the eye for at least 90 seconds, and thank them for what they do.
- No one eats alone. Look for people who are shy, lonely, an outcast, or sitting alone at a table and sit with them. Make sure no one ever eats alone.
“What are your three challenges?”
Flood and the students repeated the three challenges multiple times during the assembly enforcing the message behind each one.
Flood also passed along some life advice that he said will come back to benefit those who follow it.
“Your life is not about you,” he said. “Your life is about all the people you impact, all the people you influence, all the people you love and all the people who love you.”
David J. Flood is a Youth Inspirational and Motivational Speaker who speaks in schools across the country on dignity/respect and drug/alcohol prevention. For more information, please visit his website.