Marvelous Morning, as a Guest Speaker, at St. Jean-Marie Vianney Catholic Elementary School in Brampton Today
A marvelous morning spent at St. Jean-Marie Vianney Catholic Elementary School in Brampton, as a Guest speaker to over four hundred students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade eight during Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week. Mr. Daniel, the Vice-Principal, warmly welcomed me and made me feel most welcomed. Ms. Mezzatesta was extraordinarily helpful in getting me set up in the gymnasium. Students Rebecca and Thalia volunteered to distribute Exit Tickets and pens to grade three to eight students as they arrived at the gym.
After a very thoughtful introduction by Mr. Daniel, I presented to an attentive audience. A vibrant question period ensued with enthusiastic students. I am so grateful to Karen, who volunteered to wear my FM microphone around her neck, while holding the wireless microphone, so students could audibly ask their questions.
Mr. Daniel’s appreciative closing remarks were heartfelt.
Before students left the gymnasium, the Exit Tickets and pens were collected. Below are excerpts from some of the Exit Tickets:
Today I heard/saw… “It’s okay to ask for help.”
This made me think… “don’t give up, everything is possible.”
Now, I wonder… “How can I be confident and make a difference in the world?”
Today I heard/saw… “Lead the way do not follow.”
This made me think… “Be strong no matter what.”
Now, I wonder… “Why this school is so cool.”
Today I heard/saw… “Be YOU tiful!!! I heard an electronic voice, to help her speak. I saw a woman with many disabilities.”
This made me think… “It doesn’t matter who you are. It doesn’t matter what you look like. Don’t care what people think! ALWAYS REMEMBER! God made you, and God never makes mistakes!”
Now, I wonder… “I wonder why do people want to put people down. How can you make a new student feel welcome?”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard an electronic voice.” To help her speak. I saw that some people are different … that’s ok.”
This made me think… “It doesn’t matter what you do, who you are, and what you look like, cause you are YOU!”
Now, I wonder… “if I can help other people with their different challenges that they have. STAY STRONG! It doesn’t matter who you are … because you are YOU!”
Today I heard/saw… “A presentation about a disabled person.”
This made me think… “That I am gifted because I am not disabled.”
Now, I wonder… “How I should respond to this gift.”
Today I heard/saw… “She has many troubles, but she had a positive attitude.”
This made me think… “To never give up because she never gave up when she had troubles.”
Today I heard/saw… “a motivation speech to be a better person”
This made me think… “to be a better person”
Now, I wonder… “is life harder as a disabled person”
Today I heard/saw… “-Giselle is a public speaker -Giselle has a disability -It is okay to help.”
This made me think… “that it is okay to ask for help or be different.”
Now, I wonder… “-that it is possible to be different -and it’s okay to have disabilities,”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard that never give up no matter what.”
This made me think… “that when I give up there’s no reason too”
Now, I wonder… “What will happen if I always stay positive.”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard that God doesn’t make mistakes with people”
This made me think… “everyone is amazing inside out”
Now, I wonder… “how do people become better”
Today I heard/saw… “That you need others to live and to keep your head up high!”
This made me think… “Do I let others down and help others with their lives?”
Now, I wonder… “to be the ‘BEST’ I can be because of this presentation!”
Today I heard/saw… “That if you are hurt or disabled its all ok.”
This made me think… “That if God did this its for a reason and God makes everything good.”
Now, I wonder… “that anyone can do anything they dream to do.”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard that we need each other.”
This made me think… “Am I mean to others”
Now, I wonder… “How can I be nice”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard that we are not an island and we need each other”
This made me think… “Why people make fun of someone because they are different”
Now, I wonder… “How can I make someone have an amazing day”
Today I heard/saw… “Today I heard that no one has to go through stuff by themselves.”
This made me think… “This made me think of when I am sick. I don’t have to go through it by myself. My parents and siblings help me through it.”
Now, I wonder… “How did she feel when she gets bullied?”
Today I heard/saw… “a woman WHO HAD A FEW OBSTACLES IN LIFE. She told us that it is ok to ask for help & not to be ashamed of it.”
This made me think… “about how I should feel when I ask for help.”
Now, I wonder… “if I was there, would I help her by being a friend, or would I back away? I think I would be a friend. I hope I would be a friend.”
Today I heard/saw… “I saw that she has physical disabilities. Giselle wants to motivate students and to accept each other for who they are”
This made me think… “that we are not alone, and I should always be myself and help others. Believe in yourself. We should all improve and be the best person you can be that we all matter, and God doesn’t make mistakes”
Now, I wonder… “was Giselle bullied and how did she overcome it?”
Today I heard/saw… “To not give up”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle Gaylie went through a lot of challenges and got through them all, not ALONE.”
This made me think… “That even though that I may go through tough road, I can always move on.”
Now, I wonder… “Did Giselle have to wear hearing aids when she was a toddler or baby?”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle Gaylie, a public speaker came to talk about human challenges and how she made it this far”
This made me think… “that we matter, and we are not alone. We can do anything if we believe.”
Now, I wonder… “I wonder if Giselle has ever gotten bullied and how did she deal with it?”
Today I heard/saw… “heard: Giselle faces her challenges positively. Saw: Giselle wants to make kids feel like they belong”
This made me think… “*Everyone matters *We are not alone *We can achieve anything *Help one another *anything is possible *trust in God *believe in yourself”
Now, I wonder… “*Was Giselle bullied? *What was her inspiration”
Today I heard/saw… “Be helpful!”
This made me think… “I should be nice”
Today I heard/saw… “Someone with a disability. She has hearing aids, cerebral palsy.”
This made me think… “She is amazing. She is so strong. She went through so much, this made me confident.”
Now, I wonder… “can I make a difference? Dear Giselle, I want you to know you are amazing!”
Today I heard/saw… “I saw a girl who had a positive message to share.”
This made me think… “What if everyone was as positive and as confident.”
Now, I wonder… “What would the world look like and sound like if everyone was as positive and confident.”
Today I heard/saw… “I saw Giselle’s very inspiring story and how she never gave up and how she fought through her challenges.”
This made me think… “that I should never give up and that you should work hard each and everyday to reach your goal.”
Now, I wonder… “Could helping someone make me helpful and make the world a better place?”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle went through a lot of challenges.”
This made me think… “of the support Giselle must have had to face all these challenges.”
Now, I wonder… “How Giselle was so positive when things got hard. And Can I help anyone with a disability”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle faced a lot of challenges.”
This made me think… “Take your own path no matter the challenges.”
Now, I wonder… “How can I help people with disabilities.”
Today I heard/saw… “You can help in any little way. No one is an island”
This made me think… “about all the challenges I have and how friends and family helped”
Now, I wonder… “Why people act horribly and don’t care about other people.”
Today I heard/saw… “That sometimes life may have challenges, but you can overcome them”
This made me think… “That even if I am faced with a challenge, I can face it.”
Now, I wonder… “If I can also dunk on a net”
Today I heard/saw… “that if you get help it’s okay”
This made me think… “that I could make a difference in the world”
Now, I wonder… “Maybe I could do better in all the things I do”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard someone talk about their challenges”
This made me think… “how someone with such limits can do anything”
Now, I wonder… “how I can improve to succeed.”
Today I heard/saw… “How to solve problems in positive ways and get the help that is needed”
This made me think… “That people should communicate better for help when needed.”
Now, I wonder… “Why don’t we ask for help more often”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard someone with a disability talk about her struggles in life.”
This made me think… “about how other people live life.”
Now, I wonder… “If there are ways, I could help people”
Today I heard/saw… “That we all have challenges but we’re not alone.”
This made me think… “That I’m not alone and I can always rely on others.”
Now, I wonder… “If everyone has helpers or are some people alone?”
Today I heard/saw… “The challenges other people have in their daily life”
This made me think… “About other people going through challenging times.”
Now, I wonder… “How much my family and friends do for me, and how much more I should appreciate them.”
Today I heard/saw… “a challenged individual sending the message of God.”
This made me think… “about other people around the world and how they are treated.”
Now, I wonder… “how much my friends and family really do for me.”
Today I heard/saw… “we have challenges, but people can help us.”
This made me think… “We can’t live by ourselves and we need people in our life”
Now, I wonder… “if everyone has people that can help them in life”
Today I heard/saw… “I saw someone who doesn’t care about what other people think”
This made me think… “This made me think that we should appreciate the help we get”
Now, I wonder… “how I could stop doubting myself and how I could be more confident.”
Today I heard/saw… “A young girl who faced many challenges”
This made me think… “When something is bugging me, I have to ask for help.”
Now, I wonder… “How I can help my friends if they are going through rough situations.”
Today I heard/saw… “The struggles and difficulties of Giselle”
This made me think… “How blessed we are to receive help.”
Now, I wonder… “How I can help others”
This made me think… “anything is possible”
Now, I wonder… “when people talk about me, I’m going to turn it into a positive situation”
Today I heard/saw… “An inspiring role model”
This made me think… “That I should be more grateful.”
Now, I wonder… “if I tried harder what I can accomplish”
I’m glad to have inspired such amazing students today. It was a real pleasure to meet so many friendly staff at this school too.
I am most thankful to Ms. Daddabbo, the Principal, for graciously inviting me to her school. It was truly a blessed morning.
