Outstanding Afternoon as a Guest Speaker at St. Rose of Lima Separate School
An amazing afternoon as a Guest Speaker at St. Rose of Lima Separate School. Upon entering the office, I met Ms. Cauduro, the Principal, and I also saw Ms. Rogers, Head Secretary, a lady whom I see at St. Francis of Assisi Parish. It was a wonderful surprise to see her here.
Once escorted into the gymnasium, I met Mark, and shortly thereafter, Jason, two technically savvy grade eight students. Collaboratively, they configured all the technology for my Public Speaking presentation with great ease.
An inspired attentive audience of grade six to eight students made for an outstanding afternoon.
Following my Public Speaking presentation, Geronimo, a kind and helpful student facilitated the question and answer period. He held the wireless microphone, wore my FM System around his neck and approached students, when they raised their hands to ask me questions.
Once the question period ended, student council members approached me, on behalf of the school, to kindly thank me. They said, it was an “… encouraging and inspirational presentation”. Their beautiful words filled my heart with joy.
Before the students left the gymnasium, they completed their Exit Tickets. Below are excerpts from some of these:
Today I heard/saw… “You need help with some things and can’t do it all by yourself.”
This made me think… “that its ok to ask for help. I should be more positive.”
Now, I wonder… “How I can be more positive and helpful.”
Today I heard/saw… “To be kind to everybody”
This made me think… “Of how I can be a better person”
Now, I wonder… “How many people were inspired”
Today I heard/saw… “I saw and heard Giselle’s speech.”
This made me think… “That there is nothing better than life.”
Now, I wonder… “How I can change the world like how Giselle did.”
Today I heard/saw… “that asking for help is a strength”
This made me think… “that it’s always okay to ask for help”
Now, I wonder… “how can I help others? How can I make a difference?”
Today I heard/saw… “that we all matter in this world and asking for help doesn’t mean we are weak”
This made me think… “that if Giselle can go through many hard challenges, I can do anything in my life”
Now, I wonder… “if I can have the strength and courage like Giselle to face my problems.”
Today I heard/saw… “How to overcome challenges. God didn’t make a mistake when he made me. I can’t overcome challenges alone”
This made me think… “I am not worthless”
Now, I wonder… “How will I face challenges in the future.”
Today I heard/saw… “that we need everyone’s help”
This made me think… “that every friend has value”
Now, I wonder… “how to face my challenges in the future.”
Today I heard/saw… “that you should never give up”
This made me think… “that I give up a lot, so I have to change”
Now, I wonder… “How old are you.”
Today I heard/saw… “that God made us, and God doesn’t make mistakes”
This made me think… “that I don’t have to try to be different”
Now, I wonder… “does everyone else feel like they have to be different”
Today I heard/saw… “Someone who defied limits positively”
This made me think… “how I can contribute to helping others face their challenges”
Now, I wonder… “Why we are so reluctant to admit that we need help from those who surround us. Thank You!!”
Today I heard/saw… “how important it is to ask for help”
This made me think… “about how important it is to be the best person I can be.”
Now, I wonder… “If she could, would Giselle change anything about her life?”
Today I heard/saw… “Someone who never gives up”
This made me think… “You could be positive whenever, and that I could do better than what I’m doing now”
Now, I wonder… “I wonder how someone is still as strong as her even though she is suffering from an illness”
This made me think… “God makes no mistake.”
Now, I wonder… “How to make the most out of my abilities. Thank you ?”
Today I heard/saw… “that challenges can always be overcome”
This made me think… “I should help others when they need it”
Now, I wonder… “How can I be the best I can be”
Today I heard/saw… “there is nothing you cannot face.”
This made me think… “How much I would be afraid of the audience I present to during school.”
Now, I wonder… “How I can face my fears with a positive attitude. Thank you Giselle”
Today I heard/saw… “how she wanted to do things like us, and she wasn’t afraid of it”
This made me think… “how lucky we are to be able to communicate with our voice”
Now, I wonder… “what can I do to help”
Today I heard/saw… “a very lovely young lady talking about the many struggles she faced and how everyone should try and deal with things more positively”
This made me think… “about how happy and passionate she is about everything, and how many of us take things for granted now.”
Now, I wonder… “How to always stay positive and live life to the fullest like Giselle Thank You!”
Today I heard/saw… “That it is possible to overcome challenges if you face them positively.”
This made me think… “What can I do to help myself and others face challenges positively?”
Now, I wonder… “How many people can I help overcome obstacles?”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle speaking about her life and answering questions. How Giselle saw the good in everything.”
This made me think… “I reflected on how hard her life must have been and how friends and kind people helped her.”
Now, I wonder… “Can I help someone like Giselle? How can I be a good person? In what ways may I be able to help?”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle’s presentation on optimism and interdependence”
This made me think… “That I should be more positive and proactive.”
Today I heard/saw… “-Nobody is an island -Always ask for help -if you accept someone’s negative questions or comments you are giving them control.”
This made me think… “-about how I can help those who I love”
Now, I wonder… “how can we make this a more inclusive community”
Today I heard/saw… “I saw a person who inspired me”
This made me think… “how can I help people”
Now, I wonder… “how can I try to be like her”
Today I heard/saw… “How happy the speaker was even though she has all these disabilities”
This made me think… “How hard will it have been to face all those challenges”
Now, I wonder… “How she can be so happy”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard very inspiring messages & quote! ?”
This made me think… “how we can face through rough times, but we always have to stay positive.”
Now, I wonder… “how it’s like to be in her situation but now, she inspired me to always be positive Thank you! ?”
Today I heard/saw… “How positive she still is. Also, how grateful she is for everything.”
This made me think… “that God wouldn’t give us anything we couldn’t handle.”
Now, I wonder… “I wonder how I would be if I went through everything but still so positive”
Today I heard/saw… “God doesn’t make mistakes”
This made me think… “that we are all special”
Now, I wonder… “why we are all unique”
Today I heard/saw… “have faith in God and be grateful. Face challenges in a positive way.”
This made me think… “Be thankful for what I have. Always smile. To always believe in yourself”
Now, I wonder… “How can I help people with physical disabilities like her?”
Today I heard/saw… “That we all need each other”
This made me think… “we need to appreciate everyone.”
Now, I wonder… “Do I appreciate people as much as I should?”
Today I heard/saw… “that everyone is special”
This made me think… “that we are all unique”
Now, I wonder… “Do people get talents from being unique”
Today I heard/saw… “That Giselle overcame her challenges with the help and support of others.”
This made me think… “That I should ask for help when I need it so I can overcome my challenges as well.”
Now, I wonder… “how I can identify and help others who need help. Also, how I could help others who need help.”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard that everyone matters no-matter who you are, and that Giselle’s favourite verse is Matthew 19:8”
This made me think… “this made me think that everyone in this world is important.”
Now, I wonder… “How will ‘I’ inspire others as I grow? You are awesome Giselle! ?”
Today I heard/saw… “An inspirational story that motivates me to try not to let negative comments get to me.”
This made me think… “On how other people can make a difference no matter who they are.”
Now, I wonder… “What is Giselle’s favourite part about public speaking.”
Today I heard/saw… “Nobody is their own island”
This made me think… “I’m not alone”
Now, I wonder… “did you always want to be a public speaker even when you were young?”
Today I heard/saw… “Don’t let others insults get to you”
This made me think… “Everybody needs a helping hand sometimes”
Now, I wonder… “What would we do without each other”
Today I heard/saw… “That sometimes it’s okay to ask for help from others”
This made me think… “that I shouldn’t be afraid to ask others for help.”
Now, I wonder… “How I can help others”
Today I heard/saw… “that everyone can make a difference”
This made me think… “That God’s world is more beautiful because of you, Giselle Gaylie”
Now, I wonder… “I want to be a better person & make a difference everyday.”
Today I heard/saw… “that we all need help sometimes”
This made me think… “we should accept \ ask for help”
Now, I wonder… “When have I denied help when I need it?”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard that I should include people and be nice to them. I saw that Giselle had many people being kind to her and how she has grown.”
This made me think… “This made me think that people are all important and that I should try being my best to people.”
Now, I wonder… “Now, I wonder if I can help and be inclusive to other people.”
Today I heard/saw… “that you can overcome any obstacle”
This made me think… “How I shouldn’t take anything for granted.”
Now, I wonder… “what I can achieve if I had her mindset.”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle talking and smiling.”
This made me think… “that I can make a positive difference too.”
Now, I wonder… “How can I be more like Giselle and help others?”
Today I heard/saw… “Courageous encouraging messages”
This made me think… “That anything is possible as long as you have faith and action. What I could do”
Now, I wonder… “If I took the messages from this assembly.”
Today I heard/saw… “that we are never alone and that we can change the world”
This made me think… “Never take anything for granted and we should be grateful”
Now, I wonder… “Who will stand with me to change the world? And if so, how would the world be changed?”
Today I heard/saw… “To be yourself and help others.”
This made me think… “that I should try to help / include people more”
Now, I wonder… “How do you handle rude people”
Today I heard/saw… “that you should always be yourself”
This made me think… “that I can help so many people”
Now, I wonder… “How I can help others”
Today I heard/saw… “Things I’ve never heard before”
This made me think… “a lot about myself and others.”
Now, I wonder… “if I can make a difference in others”
Today I heard/saw… “That everyone goes through obstacles and be who you are”
This made me think… “That everyone is perfect the way they are.”
Now, I wonder… “that I should do public speaking and talk about my life.”
Today I heard/saw… “that we shouldn’t give up if we have a problem, we should face it.”
This made me think… “of helping all the people that needs help so they can have a nice life like we do”
Today I heard/saw… “I learned of Giselle’s story, and how she was able to pursue her dream of speaking publicly.”
This made me think… “this made me think about how strong an individual must be, to accept themselves fully.”
Now, I wonder… “I wonder why normal people tend to be so unsatisfied with their life, while people like Giselle, with her disabilities, are able to fully see the beauty of life in full colour.”
Today I heard/saw… “A really strong woman that has been through a lot throughout her life.”
This made me think… “that I am very lucky to have my health and to not have to face these obstacles”
Now, I wonder… “Why people complain about things that don’t even matter? Life is so precious, and people waste their time by being sad or mad at or because of things that don’t even matter in life. We are so lucky, and we don’t even notice it.”
Today I heard/saw… “That we should block out negative comments”
This made me think… “We should be surrounded by positive people”
Now, I wonder… “What kind of people do I surround myself with”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle talk about how I shouldn’t give up on my dreams and that I can conquer anything.”
This made me think… “Of the amount of times that I thought I couldn’t accomplish something.”
Now, I wonder… “Why I thought I couldn’t do something, then work very hard and accomplish that I thought was impossible.”
I feel blessed to have inspired these students this afternoon.
I am extremely grateful to Ms. Cauduro, the Principal, and Ms. Kotis, ESL / SERT, for inviting me to speak to their students at St. Rose of Lima Separate School.
