School Assemblies for grades 6 to 8
Andy has delivered almost a thousand assemblies to this age group and has two assembly choices listed below.
Most schools choose “Share Your Care”.
The “Get Your Hand UP” talk is popular as a grade 8 only assembly to prepare them for high school. Many schools have booked Andy for this program when they have their grade eights visiting their high schools. Examples since 2010 include: Ursuline College School in Chatham, Ontario; St. Patrick’s HS in Sarnia, ON, Westhill Secondary in Owen Sound, Ontario and Owen Sound Collegiate.
Most schools choose “Share Your Care”.
The “Get Your Hand UP” talk is popular as a grade 8 only assembly to prepare them for high school. Many schools have booked Andy for this program when they have their grade eights visiting their high schools. Examples since 2010 include: Ursuline College School in Chatham, Ontario; St. Patrick’s HS in Sarnia, ON, Westhill Secondary in Owen Sound, Ontario and Owen Sound Collegiate.
SHARE YOUR CARE
Share Your Care
Teenagers have no problem caring! They care a lot about the "stars" on their favourite teams or singing their favourite songs. Andy encourages students to bring that care to school! For only a few years the "stars" of your school teams, events and stages share something incredible with you! They go to your school! They are your friends and schoolmates! "How are you going to care?" is Andy's challenge to your students. Care comes in many forms: being attentive in class, going to the play, attending spirit events or bringing in a can for the food drive.
Throughout Andy's Share Your Care presentation he reminds your students about the power of simple daily acts of caring. His top 3 examples of caring are
Why don’t some youth care at school? It’s because care comes with one large catch … it doesn’t work all of the time! Students feel hurt when they get cut from a team or play, laughed at in class, get a poor mark on an assignment, or get dumped in a relationship. However, for every one time that care doesn’t work, it does work 50 times! To motivate students to “hang in there and care” when it hurts, Andy concludes with the rewards of caring in school:
Andy challenges students to be an example of care for others to follow.
Throughout Andy's Share Your Care presentation he reminds your students about the power of simple daily acts of caring. His top 3 examples of caring are
- Listen … to the teacher, to your parents, to the boss, to your friends!
- Participate … dress up for spirit days, cheer at a game, put your hand up in class.
- Show UP … to events, to practice, to work, to class!
Why don’t some youth care at school? It’s because care comes with one large catch … it doesn’t work all of the time! Students feel hurt when they get cut from a team or play, laughed at in class, get a poor mark on an assignment, or get dumped in a relationship. However, for every one time that care doesn’t work, it does work 50 times! To motivate students to “hang in there and care” when it hurts, Andy concludes with the rewards of caring in school:
- It makes school and life more FUN!
- You change the world, because caring knows no borders!
- You learn more, which leads to a better education, which leads to your dreams
- Friends!
- Care creates a yearbook full of memories that last a lifetime!
Andy challenges students to be an example of care for others to follow.
"SHARE YOUR CARE" - AN "ANTI-BULLYING" PROGRAM
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When Andy is asked to be part of an Anti-Bullying program, a growing area of Andy's business, Andy uses his "Share Your Care" presentation. Staff and students appreciate that the angle of this program is a “do this, do that” type of speech rather than a “don’t do this, don’t do that” message. When you care, when you let yourself do those little acts of caring that make a big difference (show up, participate and listen), you make decisions that lift people up in your school rather than tear them down in a bullying way. This makes the program fun and uplifting and avoids using guilt or shock in order to get students to think about caring.
A powerful story Andy shares is about his first slow dance as a 7th grade student. “Hot” and “Cool” are the most desired compliments by a teen. Yet, when Andy considered who he would ask to dance, his most important criteria was a girl “that would say no, nicely.” The girl he asked to dance was the nicest girl in the school. Why was she the nicest girl? She talked to everyone … the cool guy who would start on the hockey team in 9th grade, and the “less cool” kid like Andy who ran the Dungeons and Dragons group at the school. A few days before the dance, she “stood up” to a bully by talking to an awkward classmate who was being picked on. Andy saw her do that and thought, “Wow, she is so nice.” Andy's conclusion reminds students to SHARE THEIR CARE. Everybody has a role to play to get help, to speak up, to be an example of nice and kind, and to channel their energy into caring about friends, family and school. “Kindness is HOT, Caring is COOL, Nice is a great reputation” |
"Three staff members said it was the best presentation that the school has ever had. 5 staff members said that it was a message that the kids could understand. |
GET YOUR HAND UP
This powerful keynote will entertain and inspire your students by encouraging them to bring back their grade two enthusiasm and "get your hand up" - participate in class, in school, and in life! In this presentation, Andy encourages students to overcome their fear of failing. He urges them to ask questions, answer the teacher, and try their best in the classroom. He inspires his audiences to volunteer and get involved in all of the great activities, both at school and in life. Throughout his presentation, Andy tells students to take advantage of their time in school both to LEARN and to have FUN.
Why don't students "Get Their Hand UP?" The fear of failure or of being wrong in front of their friends. They worry that they might give a wrong answer, ask a stupid question, learn that their "best" is not as good as others, or volunteer for something and then get "cut" from the team or play. Andy challenges youth to bring back their grade 2 "recess attitude" which says, "I will get knocked down and I will be wrong sometimes, but, just like at recess in grade 2, I will get back up and play again!"
Why don't students "Get Their Hand UP?" The fear of failure or of being wrong in front of their friends. They worry that they might give a wrong answer, ask a stupid question, learn that their "best" is not as good as others, or volunteer for something and then get "cut" from the team or play. Andy challenges youth to bring back their grade 2 "recess attitude" which says, "I will get knocked down and I will be wrong sometimes, but, just like at recess in grade 2, I will get back up and play again!"
FOR BOTH ASSEMBLIES:
These presentations have been used at assemblies as part of spirit weeks, anti-drinking and drug campaigns, teen issue awareness days, yearbook sales promotions, Character Education initiatives, Anti-bullying programs and at hundreds of general student body assemblies for any month during the school year.
What makes Andy's assemblies unique? He personalize each presentation to the school he is visiting. He promotes upcoming events and activities while highlighting past successful events. Students and staff are thrilled when he encourages students to participate in specific activities such as the next dance, fundraiser, spirit event, play, music event, or spirit day. Andy arrives at the school early to discuss upcoming events at the school.
Andy can perform up to 4 assemblies back to back in order to accommodate your school's size and seating. He can adjust the program to between 45 to 90 minutes in length. He prefers a minimum of 60 minutes.
What makes Andy's assemblies unique? He personalize each presentation to the school he is visiting. He promotes upcoming events and activities while highlighting past successful events. Students and staff are thrilled when he encourages students to participate in specific activities such as the next dance, fundraiser, spirit event, play, music event, or spirit day. Andy arrives at the school early to discuss upcoming events at the school.
Andy can perform up to 4 assemblies back to back in order to accommodate your school's size and seating. He can adjust the program to between 45 to 90 minutes in length. He prefers a minimum of 60 minutes.
MAKING CARE CONTAGIOUS - STUDENT LEADERSHIP "FUNSHOP"
“Care is contagious, but as a leader it must start with ME! How do I get my care out there?” This session will answer that question! This workshop is an excellent follow-up to Andy's assembly as it empowers leaders to continue with the message that he delivers to the student body. This one hour to two hour workshop (flexible to your schedule) offers youth leaders helpful insight on effectively communicating their care for the school to the students and staff. The presentation draw's on Andy's years of experience as a student leader and as a speaker traveling the continent.
The fee includes a copy of the workshop's guidebook to help you in your follow-up. The workshop is appropriate for 20 to 150 leaders from all of your school’s groups, councils, clubs and teams!
Are you looking for a leadership retreat program? Andy can create a 3 to 6 hour leadership program based on the “Making Care Contagious” workshop. Additional workshop topics include “Set SMART Goals”, “Let’s Talk – Effective Communication” and/or “Rallies that Rock, Assemblies that Amaze!”
The fee includes a copy of the workshop's guidebook to help you in your follow-up. The workshop is appropriate for 20 to 150 leaders from all of your school’s groups, councils, clubs and teams!
Are you looking for a leadership retreat program? Andy can create a 3 to 6 hour leadership program based on the “Making Care Contagious” workshop. Additional workshop topics include “Set SMART Goals”, “Let’s Talk – Effective Communication” and/or “Rallies that Rock, Assemblies that Amaze!”
SCHOOL STAFF PROGRAM - "THE IMPACT OF TEACHERS"
Andy is the teaching profession’s #1 fan. This is because of the difference teachers have made in his life. It also helps that he married a high school French teacher! This 30 to 60 minute program is an empowering reminder to your staff on the difference they make with youth.
In October of grade 9, Andy received a letter from his high school’s track and field coach “recruiting” him to be part of the team. That letter changed his life. Expect tears of laughter and powerful reflection as Andy shares the lessons he learned from Coach Young and his efforts to connect with students.
Each year over 30 schools add this after school staff program to Andy's visit.
In October of grade 9, Andy received a letter from his high school’s track and field coach “recruiting” him to be part of the team. That letter changed his life. Expect tears of laughter and powerful reflection as Andy shares the lessons he learned from Coach Young and his efforts to connect with students.
Each year over 30 schools add this after school staff program to Andy's visit.
PARENTS' PRESENTATION - "LAUGHING & LEARNING! THE POWER OF PARENTHOOD"
Andy uses powerful and hilarious stories to highlight the power of the individual to make a difference. He challenges leaders in the lives of young people with the statement, "If care is contagious, it has to start with you!" Andy shares simple yet powerful examples of caring that remind parents and caregivers that their extra efforts DO make an impact with young people. It's not easy being in the "business" of working with youth. Andy's presentation acknowledges these challenges by sharing his most powerful conclusion of all: "be the best YOU that YOU can be! It's all this world can ask of YOU!"
Andy understands the challenge of balancing work, family, and volunteering. He is a parent of two girls, and an active member of his church and community in London, Ontario. His wife Lizz taught high school French for six years before becoming a full time mom and church volunteer.
All of Andy's presentations reflect his joy in speaking to the continent's schools. Andy loves to make people laugh … He loves to make people think!
Andy understands the challenge of balancing work, family, and volunteering. He is a parent of two girls, and an active member of his church and community in London, Ontario. His wife Lizz taught high school French for six years before becoming a full time mom and church volunteer.
All of Andy's presentations reflect his joy in speaking to the continent's schools. Andy loves to make people laugh … He loves to make people think!
Initiate Inclusion by Invitations
School Assembly for Grades 6-8:
In the past year Inclusion has come to the forefront of our society’s goals. In the fall of 2018, Andy’s friend Jules was finally reunited with his wife and 7 children from Congo after 8 years of separation! With his apartment too small to accommodate the family, Andy’s family opened their home for ten months to the three eldest children. The ongoing experience of being “Uncle Andrew” to 3 college/high school aged new Canadians from Africa is hilarious, powerful, and insightful. When you initiate inclusion by invitation, Andy’s family’s experience shows that the rewards go both ways – blessing the giver and receiver!
From this experience, his work at the King’s College Peace Camp, and his part time job at Costco, Andy offers perspective to the following challenges: How can you initiate inclusion? What limits our courage to invite? How can one maintain enthusiasm for invitation and leadership when negative experiences and rejection challenge us in our schools and community?
Include, Invite, and lead by initiating!
In the past year Inclusion has come to the forefront of our society’s goals. In the fall of 2018, Andy’s friend Jules was finally reunited with his wife and 7 children from Congo after 8 years of separation! With his apartment too small to accommodate the family, Andy’s family opened their home for ten months to the three eldest children. The ongoing experience of being “Uncle Andrew” to 3 college/high school aged new Canadians from Africa is hilarious, powerful, and insightful. When you initiate inclusion by invitation, Andy’s family’s experience shows that the rewards go both ways – blessing the giver and receiver!
From this experience, his work at the King’s College Peace Camp, and his part time job at Costco, Andy offers perspective to the following challenges: How can you initiate inclusion? What limits our courage to invite? How can one maintain enthusiasm for invitation and leadership when negative experiences and rejection challenge us in our schools and community?
Include, Invite, and lead by initiating!
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