PRESQUE ISLE, Maine – Appreciation, respect and kindness are words that most middle-schoolers can define, but they don’t always demonstrate those traits in their everyday lives. However, after listening to a recent powerful message by professional youth motivational speaker and author Ed Gerety, they’re more apt to.
Gerety spoke to students and teachers alike at Presque Isle Middle School last Tuesday.
“I’m here to talk with the students about respect, responsibility, accountability, making positive healthy choices, believing in themselves and one another, and stressing how important it is to really be grateful and appreciate their abilities and the opportunities that lie before them,” said Gerety prior to his presentation.
“This is a great age group to share this message with because right now is when they’re starting to develop a lot of their habits, beliefs and values in terms of where they want to go and who they want to become,” he said. “The more you can keep instilling those messages in them about respecting themselves, taking pride in who they are, and where they want to go and what they want to do, the more it carries forth.”
Gerety told students they have the power to choose.
“One choice we have the power to make is how we treat one another. How we resolve conflict, our goals, our dreams, what we stand for, what we believe in, and where we want to go,” he said. “It’s also the choice that we make on whether or not we apply ourselves academically and put forth our best effort. It’s a respect for ourselves and a respect for one another.”
The students were challenged to be respectful, sensitive and compassionate – not only to the people they know, but to people they know nothing about.
He shared a story of a boy who was being made fun of because he was wearing the same shirt for a week. Gerety said he was told by the school principal earlier that day that the boy’s younger brother was undergoing a bone marrow transplant.
“His mother picks him up after school and they drive an hour-and-a-half to the children’s hospital. His little brother has cancer and his little brother is scared. They’re best friends and he’s the only brother he’s got,” said Gerety. “He spends the night next to his little brother, then gets up at 5:30 a.m. and drives back to school with his mother.
“I think sometimes people make fun of others because they’re so picked on and being made fun of at home that they come to school and think they have the right to act that way with everybody else,” he said. “Other people have the false belief that if they tear someone else down that they’re building themselves up.”
To help illustrate gratitude and appreciation, Gerety asked the students, “If you had one hour to live, who would you call and what would you say?” He then invited eighth-grader Ben Nickerson on stage to call his mother.
“I feel like Oprah,” Gerety said, as Nickerson placed the call.
“Hi Mom, this is Ben,” Nickerson said. “I’m at school. I’m in the middle of an assembly right now and I’m on stage. I’m with the guest speaker. He’s a motivational speaker and he’s talking with us about how important it is to say ‘I love you’ to the people in our lives, so I’m calling you – in front of the entire school, using his cell phone – to tell you how much I love you. I love you and I’ll talk to you later. Bye.”
Gerety has spoken in all 50 states, Canada and Europe.
“I’ve been working with middle and high school students for the past 18 years around the country, and one thing I’ve found is that the issues [they deal with] are consistently the same from one part of the country to the other; however, how extreme some of the issues are vary from school to school,” he said. “One school might have more of a drinking problem, whereas I go to another school and there’s very little use of alcohol, but there might be more of a marijuana problem.
“I might go to a school where bullying has been taken to another level where there’s a lot more bullying on Facebook and in the hallways, whereas I go to another school where bullying is still an issue but it’s just not to the extreme as say another school,” Gerety said. “No matter what school I go to, the issues of respect, making good choices, treating one another with respect, and being kind are consistent across the board.”
Gerety remembers that when he was in middle school, everyone “wanted to feel like they belonged.”
“Everyone wants to feel like they’re accepted and that they’re part of the school and the community,” he said. “That’s a need that I think that everybody feels whether it was 10, 15 or 25 years ago. I think one of the big differences between when I was in middle school and today is the fact that kids are being hit with issues at a younger and younger age where they have access to information. It’s not just television; it’s also through the Internet. They have access to information, are seeing things, and hear people talking about things that maybe I didn’t hear about until I was a freshman, sophomore or even a junior in high school.
“I hope the kids today walk away feeling empowered … that they can make a difference, that they’re inspired that they can reach their goals, and can make their dreams come true,” said Gerety. “At the foundation of all of that is being respectful … not only of who they are and the choices that they make, but also being respectful of others.”
Sixth-grader Gavin Kelley enjoyed the humorous yet thought-provoking assembly.
“I liked Mr. Gerety’s presentation a lot. I thought he was very funny and motivational,” he said. “I learned not to pick on other people and to treat everyone with respect. I would stick up for a kid that’s being made fun of because the ones who are making fun of him don’t know what he’s been through or what’s happening in his life.”
Kelley said since coming to the middle school, he’s seen an increase in bullying.
“At Zippel, the fifth-graders really only picked on other fifth-graders. Now I see it more. Since the eighth-graders are almost in high school and they’re maturing more, they’re picking on everybody and the seventh-graders are picking on the sixth-graders. Teasing and being picked on happens here, but hopefully today’s presentation will help that.
“I think we should have a program like this every year because the sixth-graders coming in will be new and the sixth- and seventh-graders now will be seventh- and eighth-graders next year and they should be reminded again,” said Kelley. “If I get elected to the Student Council, I’m going to make sure that we get more guest speakers like Mr. Gerety who are motivational. These issues are going around more. Kids are maturing at younger ages and know more stuff. When I was in fifth grade, I even heard some third-graders swearing and picking on other kids. We need more ways to get the positive message out there.”
Sixth-grader Emma O’Connell said she was moved by Gerety’s presentation.
“It was funny and he did a lot of good speeches and good work, but some of what he said was sad like how the kids bullied other kids and they don’t even know their life at home,” she said. “Usually if I see bullying done at school, I try to tell the kids that are bullying the other kids to stop, and if they don’t, I try to contact a teacher.
“I’m going to remember the idea of respect – for everybody around you – not to bully and be nice to other kids,” said O’Connell. “By being nice to others, it will boost their self-esteem and make them feel better, and make you feel better at the same time.”
Sixth-grader Victoria Williamson agreed.
“I really liked the presentation. I thought that he was really funny, and what I got out of it was to be respectful and be thankful for everything that you have because some people don’t have the same things that you do,” she said. “We should also be respectful of everybody. I’m going to try to be nicer to people that I don’t know and say ‘Hi’ to people when I meet them.”
As a result of the program, sixth-grader Sarah Morneault said she was going to try to treat her sibling better.
“I have a younger brother and I’m going to try to be a little nicer to him,” she said, “because it will make my brother feel better and it might give my parents a break. Plus I’ll feel better, too. At school if I see someone bullying another student, I’m going to tell them that it’s not nice and just stand up for them.”
Gerety views his presentation as part of an ongoing process.
“This isn’t a one-shot deal; it’s another spoke in the wheel,” he said. “When I leave here, this message will continue to be carried forth in the classrooms and by the advisory groups. This conversation needs to continue throughout the school year.
“My experience in working with youth around the country, and youth in this part of Maine, is that there’s an incredible amount of resiliency, intelligence, hope and drive that gives me great confidence in knowing that our future is in great hands,” said Gerety.
No stranger to Aroostook County, Gerety regularly appears at the Aroostook Teen Leadership Camp. Last Tuesday he also held a similar presentation at Ashland District School.
“I’m here to talk with the students about respect, responsibility, accountability, making positive healthy choices, believing in themselves and one another, and stressing how important it is to really be grateful and appreciate their abilities and the opportunities that lie before them,” said Gerety prior to his presentation.
“This is a great age group to share this message with because right now is when they’re starting to develop a lot of their habits, beliefs and values in terms of where they want to go and who they want to become,” he said. “The more you can keep instilling those messages in them about respecting themselves, taking pride in who they are, and where they want to go and what they want to do, the more it carries forth.”
Gerety told students they have the power to choose.
“One choice we have the power to make is how we treat one another. How we resolve conflict, our goals, our dreams, what we stand for, what we believe in, and where we want to go,” he said. “It’s also the choice that we make on whether or not we apply ourselves academically and put forth our best effort. It’s a respect for ourselves and a respect for one another.”
The students were challenged to be respectful, sensitive and compassionate – not only to the people they know, but to people they know nothing about.
He shared a story of a boy who was being made fun of because he was wearing the same shirt for a week. Gerety said he was told by the school principal earlier that day that the boy’s younger brother was undergoing a bone marrow transplant.
“His mother picks him up after school and they drive an hour-and-a-half to the children’s hospital. His little brother has cancer and his little brother is scared. They’re best friends and he’s the only brother he’s got,” said Gerety. “He spends the night next to his little brother, then gets up at 5:30 a.m. and drives back to school with his mother.
“I think sometimes people make fun of others because they’re so picked on and being made fun of at home that they come to school and think they have the right to act that way with everybody else,” he said. “Other people have the false belief that if they tear someone else down that they’re building themselves up.”
To help illustrate gratitude and appreciation, Gerety asked the students, “If you had one hour to live, who would you call and what would you say?” He then invited eighth-grader Ben Nickerson on stage to call his mother.
“I feel like Oprah,” Gerety said, as Nickerson placed the call.
“Hi Mom, this is Ben,” Nickerson said. “I’m at school. I’m in the middle of an assembly right now and I’m on stage. I’m with the guest speaker. He’s a motivational speaker and he’s talking with us about how important it is to say ‘I love you’ to the people in our lives, so I’m calling you – in front of the entire school, using his cell phone – to tell you how much I love you. I love you and I’ll talk to you later. Bye.”
Gerety has spoken in all 50 states, Canada and Europe.
“I’ve been working with middle and high school students for the past 18 years around the country, and one thing I’ve found is that the issues [they deal with] are consistently the same from one part of the country to the other; however, how extreme some of the issues are vary from school to school,” he said. “One school might have more of a drinking problem, whereas I go to another school and there’s very little use of alcohol, but there might be more of a marijuana problem.
“I might go to a school where bullying has been taken to another level where there’s a lot more bullying on Facebook and in the hallways, whereas I go to another school where bullying is still an issue but it’s just not to the extreme as say another school,” Gerety said. “No matter what school I go to, the issues of respect, making good choices, treating one another with respect, and being kind are consistent across the board.”
Gerety remembers that when he was in middle school, everyone “wanted to feel like they belonged.”
“Everyone wants to feel like they’re accepted and that they’re part of the school and the community,” he said. “That’s a need that I think that everybody feels whether it was 10, 15 or 25 years ago. I think one of the big differences between when I was in middle school and today is the fact that kids are being hit with issues at a younger and younger age where they have access to information. It’s not just television; it’s also through the Internet. They have access to information, are seeing things, and hear people talking about things that maybe I didn’t hear about until I was a freshman, sophomore or even a junior in high school.
“I hope the kids today walk away feeling empowered … that they can make a difference, that they’re inspired that they can reach their goals, and can make their dreams come true,” said Gerety. “At the foundation of all of that is being respectful … not only of who they are and the choices that they make, but also being respectful of others.”
Sixth-grader Gavin Kelley enjoyed the humorous yet thought-provoking assembly.
“I liked Mr. Gerety’s presentation a lot. I thought he was very funny and motivational,” he said. “I learned not to pick on other people and to treat everyone with respect. I would stick up for a kid that’s being made fun of because the ones who are making fun of him don’t know what he’s been through or what’s happening in his life.”
Kelley said since coming to the middle school, he’s seen an increase in bullying.
“At Zippel, the fifth-graders really only picked on other fifth-graders. Now I see it more. Since the eighth-graders are almost in high school and they’re maturing more, they’re picking on everybody and the seventh-graders are picking on the sixth-graders. Teasing and being picked on happens here, but hopefully today’s presentation will help that.
“I think we should have a program like this every year because the sixth-graders coming in will be new and the sixth- and seventh-graders now will be seventh- and eighth-graders next year and they should be reminded again,” said Kelley. “If I get elected to the Student Council, I’m going to make sure that we get more guest speakers like Mr. Gerety who are motivational. These issues are going around more. Kids are maturing at younger ages and know more stuff. When I was in fifth grade, I even heard some third-graders swearing and picking on other kids. We need more ways to get the positive message out there.”
Sixth-grader Emma O’Connell said she was moved by Gerety’s presentation.
“It was funny and he did a lot of good speeches and good work, but some of what he said was sad like how the kids bullied other kids and they don’t even know their life at home,” she said. “Usually if I see bullying done at school, I try to tell the kids that are bullying the other kids to stop, and if they don’t, I try to contact a teacher.
“I’m going to remember the idea of respect – for everybody around you – not to bully and be nice to other kids,” said O’Connell. “By being nice to others, it will boost their self-esteem and make them feel better, and make you feel better at the same time.”
Sixth-grader Victoria Williamson agreed.
“I really liked the presentation. I thought that he was really funny, and what I got out of it was to be respectful and be thankful for everything that you have because some people don’t have the same things that you do,” she said. “We should also be respectful of everybody. I’m going to try to be nicer to people that I don’t know and say ‘Hi’ to people when I meet them.”
As a result of the program, sixth-grader Sarah Morneault said she was going to try to treat her sibling better.
“I have a younger brother and I’m going to try to be a little nicer to him,” she said, “because it will make my brother feel better and it might give my parents a break. Plus I’ll feel better, too. At school if I see someone bullying another student, I’m going to tell them that it’s not nice and just stand up for them.”
Gerety views his presentation as part of an ongoing process.
“This isn’t a one-shot deal; it’s another spoke in the wheel,” he said. “When I leave here, this message will continue to be carried forth in the classrooms and by the advisory groups. This conversation needs to continue throughout the school year.
“My experience in working with youth around the country, and youth in this part of Maine, is that there’s an incredible amount of resiliency, intelligence, hope and drive that gives me great confidence in knowing that our future is in great hands,” said Gerety.
No stranger to Aroostook County, Gerety regularly appears at the Aroostook Teen Leadership Camp. Last Tuesday he also held a similar presentation at Ashland District School.
