A Sensational Morning as a Guest Speaker at St. Anthony Elementary School to All Students
Oh, what a sensational morning it was, as a Guest Speaker, at St. Anthony Elementary School in Brampton. Warmly welcomed by Ms. Williams, the Principal, who kindly invited me to her wonderful school to speak to all her students on the Relationship with Self and the Virtue of Love.
Mr. Mifsud, the custodian, was kindly on hand in the gymnasium and was extremely helpful to me during my setup.
The students, starting with the Full Day Kindergarten classes and chronologically ending with the grade eight students, filled the gym. After a lovely introduction by Ms. Williams, I began my Public Speaking presentation to an intrigued and attentive audience.
For the question period that followed my presentation, Azzurre, an intermediate student, volunteered to assist me during the Q & A. He wore my FM System and held the wireless microphone as he comfortably moved about the gymnasium to field questions from students, who raised their hands to ask me questions. Azzurre did a fantastic job and I really appreciated his thoughtful assistance.
On behalf of the school community, Ms. Williams wholeheartedly thanked me and provided a heartwarming reflection for the school community on acceptance and self-love.
The grade three to eight students Exit Tickets were kindly collected by their teachers. The Junior Kindergarten to Grade Two teachers graciously took Exit Sheets (one per class) as they escorted their students out of the gymnasium.
Below are excerpts from some of the grade three to eight students’ Exit Tickets:
Today I heard/saw… “I heard that she is 22 years old.”
This made me think… “This made me think that we all have a loving heart.”
Today I heard/saw… “that everybody is good”
This made me think… “She is a good person”
Now, I wonder… “did she love school”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard and saw Giselle speaking about how love is in us.”
This made me think… “how wrong some people are about some people.”
Now, I wonder… “how this world will become better.”
Today I heard/saw… “that Giselle was really successful, and she ignored the bad side of everything. If you put your mind to it, you can do anything.”
This made me think… “if a person like Giselle can do it, I can do it!”
Now, I wonder… “Can I be as successful as Giselle?”
Today I heard/saw… “that even if a person has a disability, they are not hopeless.”
This made me think… “how did Giselle learn to use that technology?”
Now, I wonder… “can everybody express their feelings, even if they are mute?”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard about her life”
This made me think… “to be the best of myself”
Now, I wonder… “How does she write?”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard that we are not nothing we are something”
This made me think… “that we are special and unique”
Now, I wonder… “how does she write. How does she hear us.”
Today I heard/saw… “Never be friends with people that make you feel like nothing.”
This made me think… “anyone can have hope and love with them self.”
Now, I wonder… “love yourself even if you are sad.”
Today I heard/saw… “today I heard about her life”
This made me think… “I could love myself and others”
Now, I wonder… “how do you write?”
Today I heard/saw… “how important it is to love ourselves”
This made me think… “how important love is”
Now, I wonder… “What the world would be without love”
Today I heard/saw… “a beautiful story about Giselle’s life / story”
This made me think… “about to never give up and to never listen to others.”
Now, I wonder… “That you can’t judge someone when you never met them.”
Today I heard/saw… “can’t let negative thoughts get to you”
This made me think… “God made us how we are so don’t let anything harmful get to you”
Now, I wonder… “if she can write and get dressed -does she type or does her helper”
Today I heard/saw… “What love is or what does love mean and I saw Giselle Gaylie.”
This made me think… “This made me think that all of us have challenges in our life that we have to go through.”
Now, I wonder… “we don’t really need someone in our side because God is there protecting you, he’s there beside you, and God made you, so be yourself”
Today I heard/saw… “what love really is”
This made me think… “My life”
Now, I wonder… “How I can love myself”
Today I heard/saw… “a presentation about love.”
This made me think… “to give more love”
Now, I wonder… “How to be a better person”
Today I heard/saw… “A public speaker”
This made me think… “what matters in life”
Now, I wonder… “what I need to work on”
Today I heard/saw… “we don’t put our self down”
This made me think… “I am lucky”
Today I heard/saw… “don’t put others down even if they have disable and to love yourself.”
This made me think… “To always your self and live your life to the fullest and don’t listen to others hate.”
Now, I wonder… “How does it feel to be Giselle. What does she go through”
Today I heard/saw… “That I / everyone should be their best selves.”
This made me think… “How everyone are all equals.”
Now, I wonder… “What I would do if I were to face challenges.”
Today I heard/saw… “many interesting things that changed how I thought about people with disabilities.”
This made me think… “about all the things some people face and achieve while still having difficulties”
Now, I wonder… “How I can be brave and positive like them to face the smaller problems I have.”
Today I heard/saw… “today I saw a beautiful young lady and I heard her journey that she goes through.”
This made me think… “this made me think that everyone is special and loved. Even when you go through tough challenges, you can do anything.”
Now, I wonder… “if she ever gets scared or sad when negative goes on her. We are all loved and beautiful.”
Today I heard/saw… “in life you must accept challenges”
This made me think… “if people are same why do we tease people”
Now, I wonder… “how can become a better person”
Today I heard/saw… “about Giselle and her life. I heard how to love yourself.”
This made me think… “about life and about people who are mean”
Now, I wonder… “about my future”
Today I heard/saw… “the life story of a disabled girl.”
This made me think… “being yourself is ok.”
Now, I wonder… “Will I always be me?”
Today I heard/saw… “The challenges people have to face”
Now, I wonder… “What people could do to help”
Today I heard/saw… “that people should respect and be themselves and should not judge yourself.”
This made me think… “how can I improve myself and improve my relationship with my friends and family”
Now, I wonder… “how she fought through her disability and tried her best to be successful.”
Today I heard/saw… “The challenges Giselle faced”
This made me think… “That no matter how the person looks, they are still a person”
Now, I wonder… “how many other people are picked on because of their disabilities / looks”
Today I heard/saw… “About the things she faced & how she stays positive”
This made me think… “About how some people face big challenges & remain positive ?”
Now, I wonder… “how she copes with difficult people. And if transportation is hard for her?”
Today I heard/saw… “always be yourself”
This made me think… “of all people”
Now, I wonder… “always be kind”
Today I heard/saw… “how she lived her life”
This made me think… “about self acceptance”
Now, I wonder… “Do I have good people around me.”
Today I heard/saw… “the story of her life
This made me think… “never give up”
Today I heard/saw… “her life story / challenges she’s gone through”
This made me think… “we should be loved for who we are.”
Today I heard/saw… “you could overcome anything”
This made me think… “about the struggles that everyone has”
Now, I wonder… “When I struggle am, I really struggling.”
Today I heard/saw… “about love and self respect”
This made me think… “that many other people go through hardships.”
Now, I wonder… “what else I can do to have love and self respect for myself.”
Today I heard/saw… “I seen love one send other. I seen love everywhere.”
This made me think… “this makes me think about a friend”
Now, I wonder… “everyone that needs help I will be there”
Today I heard/saw… “an interesting presentation she talked about being yourself and how nothing should hold you back.”
This made me think… “about my personality and my life experiences.”
Now, I wonder… “If I think about my actions, could I be a better person”
Today I heard/saw… “a very inspiring presentation”
This made me think… “about how I treat others”
Now, I wonder… “if I should look at myself in a positive way”
Today I heard/saw… “That everybody is different but the same”
This made me think… “That everybody should love each other”
Today I heard/saw… “That she went to different therapy everyday ”
This made me think… “No matter what you can do it. If you work hard.”
Now, I wonder… “How would it be to spend a wonderful day with you.”
Today I heard/saw… “a motivational speech”
This made me think… “How I should treat myself and others”
Now, I wonder… “about how many people love and support me”
Today I heard/saw… “An important message on how to love yourself”
This made me think… “that we should love ourselves and others”
Now, I wonder… “What a world where everyone does this is like”
Today I heard/saw… “today I heard that we should appreciate the people in our life.”
This made me think… “about my life, family and God and how I should get closer to them.”
Now, I wonder… “why people are so heartless and don’t care about other’s feelings”
Today I heard/saw… “That we should treat ourselves like we would our best friend.”
This made me think… “that I over think too much and that doesn’t make a bad person.”
Now, I wonder… “why do I treat myself differently.”
Today I heard/saw… “What self love is.”
This made me think… “do I have self love”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard that caring about yourself is important”
This made me think… “it made me think that we should not care what others think”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard about how she feels”
This made me think… “This made me think about how I treat myself”
Now, I wonder… “I wonder how hard it was.”
Today I heard/saw… “Today I saw Giselle”
This made me think… “She’s a wonderful person and never gave up”
Now, I wonder… “if everyone would be as kind as her.”
Today I heard/saw… “today I saw Giselle”
This made me think… “how strong people can be and she’s a wonderful person”
Now, I wonder… “if everyone could be nice”
Today I heard/saw… “that people have challenges and they overcome them.”
This made me think… “how other people deal with negativity”
Now, I wonder… “how some people overcome challenges.”
Today I heard/saw… “A public speaker”
This made me think… “How I can be better”
Now, I wonder… “where she is going to be next?”
Today I heard/saw… “I saw and heard about love and Giselle”
This made me think… “This made me think how I treat others”
Now, I wonder… “if I’m mean to other people”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle never gave up, or took offense to heart”
This made me think… “that she had difficult times but fought through!”
Now, I wonder… “If she can help more people just like her and be an inspiration.”
Today I heard/saw… “-someone who is confident, and I could tell she has a great personality.”
This made me think… “I could do ANYTHING”
Now, I wonder… “how will I show love, self-control, etc…”
Today I heard/saw… “Negative things can hurt me.”
This made me think… “I should be more happier in myself!”
Now, I wonder… “Why do I not reflect that much? Negative is bad”
Today I heard/saw… “A presentation about self love”
This made me think… “How did she feel going through challenges in life?”
Now, I wonder… “How did she feel going to different schools talking about herself”
Today I heard/saw… “Today I heard and saw a brave girl.”
This made me think… “This made me think how more brave I can be.”
Now, I wonder… “Now I wonder how I can be more brave”
Today I heard/saw… “a motivational speaker”
This made me think… “That everyone can follow their dreams”
Now, I wonder… “How hard it is to be a public speaker”
Today I heard/saw… “that we are God’s children”
This made me think… “that we have to love one another”
Now, I wonder… “why do kids sometimes bully other kids?”
Today I heard/saw… “Never bully someone of how they look”
This made me think… “To love one another no matter how they look”
Now, I wonder… “If I see somebody getting hurt, stand up and help them and be friends with them”
Today I heard/saw… “that it doesn’t matter who you are, we are all a child of God.”
This made me think… “about how it feels to have so much confidence to be a Public Speaker.”
Now, I wonder… “How it feels to be a special needs person”
Today I heard/saw… “don’t let bully get to you”
This made me think… “don’t let bully”
Now, I wonder… “Can I stop bullies”
Today I heard/saw… “that everyone needs help from time to time”
This made me think… “that we shouldn’t judge people by their looks”
Now, I wonder… “if everyone can be strong enough to face their challenges”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard saw that we need to show love”
This made me think… “That you should show love to the world”
Now, I wonder… “If the whole school would stop bullying”
Today I heard/saw… “about what love means.”
This made me think… “about who I really am.”
Now, I wonder… “if I can accomplish anything I want to.”
Today I heard/saw… “how important it is to love ourselves”
This made me think… “how important love is.”
Now, I wonder… “What life would be like without love.”
Today I heard/saw… “to not judge people for who they are”
This made me think… “it made me think what other things can we do to help her”
Now, I wonder… “I wonder if people believe, can they do whatever they want.”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle showing and telling us about the challenges in life.”
This made me think… “How I should not bring myself down.”
Now, I wonder… “Are the challenges fun to experience.”
Today I heard/saw… “a look into someone’s life.”
This made me think… “people could be going through different things.”
Now, I wonder… “What I can do to improve my self love towards myself.”
Today I heard/saw… “a person encourage me.”
This made me think… “If I can truly reach my goals.”
Now, I wonder… “How hard I will work to reach my goals.”
It was an honour to present and to inspire this school of approximately four hundred students.
I am truly grateful to Ms. Williams, the Principal, for this invitation.
St. Anthony’s Elementary School community made my public speaking engagement a sensational morning in every way.
Following my visit on February 10th, 2020, the students from JK to Grade 2 reflected on my public speaking presentation in their respective classrooms. Here’s a beautiful class reflection from Mrs. Ellsworth grade one class. Thank You for doing this. I love it.
