St. Teresa of Avila’s Equity and Wellness Day
Moments after I arrived at St. Teresa of Avila’s Separate School, I was warmly greeted by Ms. Lillicrop, Elementary Guidance and Experiential Learning Teacher – Mississauga North. I was absolutely delighted to meet her.
She escorted me down the hall to Mr. DaCosta’s grade eight classroom, a spacious room with a lot of natural light. The students’ chairs and desks appeared to have been moved to the perimeter of the room, to allow ample space for all the grade seven and eight students to sit on the floor for my public speaking presentation this afternoon.
Mr. DaCosta was kindly on hand, and I was grateful that he had made his large classroom available and was ready to accommodate the audience, that soon would occupy it. As for me, he had an available trusty HDMI connection easily accessible, for a quick connect to my laptop, which was conveniently paired to the wall mounted smart board. With the handy dial on the smart board, I acquired just the right volume in a cinch. Set up was a breeze.
Grade seven and eight students came into the classroom in a steady succession and sat on the floor. I was excited to meet them, and they were just as intrigued by me, to have me there.
Just before getting started, I was wonderfully introduced by Ms. Lillicrop to all the students. Throughout my presentation, students paid close attention to me and seemed to take heed of what I had to say.
A question period followed my presentation, and great questions were asked. Several students approached me afterwards and asked me a few more questions, of which I was more than pleased to reply.
Once students had completed their Exit Tickets, they started to leave the class with their teachers. Mr. DaCosta and his students quickly started putting his class back in proper order by moving the tables and chairs to their proper place. Before leaving, we thanked Mr. DaCosta for allowing us the use of his classroom for my presentation. Like the gracious host he was, he thanked us, for coming too.
Below are excerpts from some of the students’ Exit Tickets:
Today I heard/saw… “She talked about how to get through challenges. Giselle Gaylie, she talked about her challenges.”
This made me think… “about how privileged I am. I have so many gifts from God that I take advantage of.”
Now, I wonder… “How many more people have the same challenges as Giselle.”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard that we should accept everyone and respect.”
This made me think… “you never exclude people.”
Now, I wonder… “how much people are inspired not by this speech because everyone is.”
Today I heard/saw… “Be helpful to others. Think positive, live life to the fullest, don’t give up. Giselle Gaylie talked about her challenges and how to get through challenges.”
This made me think… “I should live life to the fullest, and don’t give up, and try new things.”
Now, I wonder… “Have I done anything to my best of abilities?”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle, who was very kind and positive.”
This made me think… “that we should all be positive”
Now, I wonder… “How does her machine work and know what she wants to say.”
Today I heard/saw… “Today I heard that I can’t do everything alone and I am not an island.”
This made me think… “This made think that I should ask for help more and I am not alone”
Now, I wonder… “Now I wonder if I can ask people to help me more and expand my social activities”
Today I heard/saw… “What I’ve heard about this presentation is about how even if your disabled, you can make a difference”
This made me think… “About many other people out there, dreaming the same things as her”
Now, I wonder… “How many other people in this way have the same disabilities as her and haven’t gotten help”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle talk about her disabilities and how she grew up.”
This made me think… “I should be more nice to people because I don’t know what they’re dealing with”
Today I heard/saw… “even if you have a disability you can do anything if you believe and listen to feedback”
This made me think… “Why are people negative”
Now, I wonder… “If I start believing will my dreams come true”
Today I heard/saw… “A Public Speaker who overcame the challenge of her disability.”
This made me think… “How lucky we are to be healthy and how much we should enjoy how we are right now cause that can change”
Now, I wonder… “has her disability ever discouraged her in life”
Today I heard/saw… “A great motivational speech by an amazing person.”
This made me think… “That everyone can be a helpful person.”
Now, I wonder… “How I can be a helpful person?”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle”
This made me think… “that she is a strong girl.”
Now, I wonder… “does that make me a strong girl”
Today I heard/saw… “A beautiful message of acceptance and courage”
This made me think… “that being yourself is the best thing”
Now, I wonder… “People should love themselves and be the best version of their selves.”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard Giselle tell us about her experience.”
This made me think… “no matter how hard times could be, we could get through it.”
Now, I wonder… “Now I wonder how I could also be positive.”
Today I heard/saw… “about Giselle’s life”
This made me think… “If I could do the same”
Now, I wonder… “What my future is”
Today I heard/saw… “that we can help each other no matter what.”
This made me think… “How I can help people with challenges.”
Now, I wonder… “How I can support people and be a good friend.”
Today I heard/saw… “today I saw a girl, and just because she can’t walk, or talk doesn’t mean she can’t be what she wants to be.”
This made me think… “This made me think that no matter what’s the challenge You can do it.”
Now, I wonder… “Now I wonder how grateful I am that I can talk and walk. She is a beautiful young lady, she’s a great Public speaker. God bless her”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle’s life story and her disability.”
This made me think… “how amazing it is that she went threw all of this.”
Now, I wonder… “How she went threw all of the challenges in her life.”
Today I heard/saw… “How she grew up”
This made me think… “How lucky I am to be positive”
Now, I wonder… “what she went through”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard about Giselle’s story.”
This made me think… “That everyone should keep trying no matter who you are.”
Now, I wonder… “Nothing.”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle talk about her life story”
This made me think… “This made me think about how grateful I am.”
Now, I wonder… “If I can have the mindset of Giselle”
Today I heard/saw… “that you can be whatever you would like to be.”
This made me think… “that you are one of a kind. And you should do what you love.”
Now, I wonder… “What I would do in life with this info.”
Today I heard/saw… “She accepted help; she also faced a lot of challenges.”
This made me think… “If we try our best, we can be whatever we want to.”
Now, I wonder… “Why do I feel negative and she is always positive and trying her best?”
Today I heard/saw… “A public speaker”
This made me think… “about the importance of support”
Now, I wonder… “how can I help and support others”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard how she grew up and how to be positive”
This made me think… “I should be more positive”
Now, I wonder… “how I can overcome my challenges”
Today I heard/saw… “That we could all enjoy even though if there is something wrong and everything is possible”
This made me think… “that we could all be happy.”
Now, I wonder… “how its like to be a public speaker.”
Today I heard/saw… “that we all should love ourselves and care for others.”
This made me think… “that I should love me and everyone else.”
Now, I wonder… “how I can help others.”
Today I heard/saw… “How she grew up”
This made me think… “To be more positive”
Now, I wonder… “What challenges she’s gone through and how strong she is”
Today I heard/saw… “The challenges she faced”
This made me think… “I can overcome anything”
Now, I wonder… “Is everything possible”
Today I heard/saw… “That U should always be proud of yourself”
This made me think… “That life has obstacles and we can face them together”
Now, I wonder… “Where will I end up?”
Today I heard/saw… “very nice and inspirational things.”
This made me think… “everyone is different”
Now, I wonder… “How do you swim”
Today I heard/saw… “a wise person & a good role model.”
This made me think… “about how lucky I am to have so many good friends.”
Now, I wonder… “how can I become a person that better reflects Jesus?”
Today I heard/saw… “an inspirational speech and a person who’s been through a lot”
This made me think… “about my future and positive”
Now, I wonder… “what it would be like with no negativity”
Today I heard/saw… “something I thought was impossible”
This made me think… “Anything is possible”
Now, I wonder… “how much more will be successful”
Today I heard/saw… “The perspective of someone who is facing through some problems and how they were able to get through their tough times.”
This made me think… “that everyone has their differences but at the same time we’re all the same, we all deal with issues so we must help one another.”
Now, I wonder… “how much I’ll be able to help people with the knowledge I’ve learned from this presentation. I look forward to helping the people I can in hopes in making them feel better even if its just a little bit”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle speaking to a class”
This made me think… “That anything is possible”
Now, I wonder… “Why are people with disabilities more thankful for life than people with no disabilities”
Today I heard/saw… “You should be always be proud of yourself because God made you”
This made me think… “that I always have support from family and friends.”
Now, I wonder… “how U do stuff with your wheelchair”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle said inspiring things about her life”
This made me think… “Am I unlucky, I always think I am, but Giselle inspired me that am not unlucky”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle speak about her journey”
This made me think… “About why it’s important to ask for help”
Now, I wonder… “If I ever can be as strong as Giselle”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle is a positive and strong lady.”
This made me think… “That through rough times, it’s possible to get through!”
Now, I wonder… “That anything is POSSIBLE!”
Today I heard/saw… “All the challenges that Giselle went through and how she overcomes it.”
This made me think… “How brave she was to be able to overcome difficulties”
Now, I wonder… “How positive she is with all negative comments, and how she stayed positive”
Today I heard/saw… “that no matter how you look or act you are capable of doing anything”
This made me think… “of how lucky I am and how I sometimes take things for granted.”
Now, I wonder… “if I would have the ability to inspire others like she does.”
Today I heard/saw… “that challenges come in many different shapes and forms, but you have to accept them and overcome them”
This made me think… “we should be helpful to others and everyone is equal.”
Now, I wonder… “How does she talk through microphone”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle speaking about her journey”
This made me think… “How you can overcome all challenges”
Now, I wonder… “If I could be as strong and positive as Giselle”
Today I heard/saw… “What I heard today is how Giselle got over obstacles in her life.”
This made me think… “It made me think that I can also get over obstacles in my life like Giselle.”
Now, I wonder… “that I can also get over obstacles in my life.”
Today I heard/saw… “A successful guest speaker who has faced many unfortunate challenges but stays positive.”
This made me think… “of how lucky I am as a healthy individual and how much more positive I should be.”
Now, I wonder… “Why I sometimes feel unlucky, but she is always able to stay positive in difficult times.”
Today I heard/saw… “a public speaker talking about an issue”
This made me think… “that anything is possible with help”
Now, I wonder… “if there is another method to help these disabilities”
Today I heard/saw… “That anything is possible”
This made me think… “How people can be so strong”
Now, I wonder… “if I can be as strong as her”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle, a public speaker talking about How to deal with challenges.”
This made me think… “How amazing it is that someone with so many challenges can be so strong.”
Now, I wonder… “How Giselle is so strong and if I could be more like her”
Today I heard/saw… “An inspiration and beautiful person, inside and out.”
This made me think… “The importance of accepting others”
Now, I wonder… “How I can help support and offer help to others.”
Today I heard/saw… “saw the life of someone with challenges that are much harder than the ones I face”
This made me think… “Of how much her life / others life would have turned out if she didn’t get help by others”
Now, I wonder… “How much of a difference she has made by going school to school and talking to us. I feel like I’ve so much from her today”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle is someone that inspired me”
This made me think… “how different life is for others around me.”
Now, I wonder… “how can I help be a part of something that can impact the lives of others.”
Today I heard/saw… “a presentation”
This made me think… “I can help more people”
Now, I wonder… “How I can help”
Today I heard/saw… “to not be afraid about what people think about you”
This made me think… “To never give up and to think good things only.”
Now, I wonder… “Why don’t we try new things and help out more.”
Today I heard/saw… “Someone who’s gotten past large hurdles”
This made me think… “how we should be grateful for God’s blessings”
Now, I wonder… “how I should change the way I think”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle Gaylie”
This made me think… “Giselle is very smart.”
Now, I wonder… “She is a very nice person.”
Today I heard/saw… “The story of the speaker and how she never lost hope and determination, and she kept believing.”
This made me think… “that no one is a mistake and if you have hope and determination, you can achieve many things.”
Now, I wonder… “how she reacted if someone made fun of her or tried to bring her down.”
Today I heard/saw… “A girl who has been through struggles but still sees life in a different way”
This made me think… “If I am going through hard times, I won’t let it get to me.”
Now, I wonder… “If I will see the world the way Giselle sees it”
Today I heard/saw… “an inspirational speech that will help me in life.”
This made me think… “That I should help people in need.”
Now, I wonder… “It is not everybody that are speechless, disable, help everybody we see.”
Today I heard/saw… “Today I heard that I should be myself and I can be helpful, and I can make a positive impact.”
This made me think… “This made me think of how I treat and help the people in my life.”
Now, I wonder… “I now wonder how much of an impact I can make.”
Today I heard/saw… “about how it feels when someone is challenged and how they have to keep going”
This made me think… “of how much it means to believe”
Now, I wonder… “If things will get better”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle Gaylie”
This made me think… “about how helpful our schools are for everyone.”
Now, I wonder… “To face my challenges in a positive manner.”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard Giselle talk about her disabilities and how she overcame them.”
This made me think… “That I can overcome my problems like she did.”
Now, I wonder… “Would Giselle be a public speaker if she didn’t have disabilities?”
Before leaving the school, I had the pleasure to meet Ms. Kilic, the Vice-Principal, who happily took some pictures with me. She had already heard some wonderful comments about the presentation, I just did, and she sincerely thanked me for coming to present at her school.
Ms. Lillicrop, the courteous host and organizer, of today’s events was happy to take some pictures with me too in the school foyer. She profusely thanked me for my presentation. I was joyfully honoured to have been asked to present as a guest speaker on St. Teresa of Avila’s Equity and Wellness Day.
