Fantastic Friday as a Guest Speaker at St. Gerard Separate School

Fantastic Friday as a Guest Speaker at St. Gerard Separate School. Honoured to have been invited to present to Ms. Alphonso-Balogun and Ms. Spagnoli’s fabulous grade six and seven classes. These wonderfully engaged students had many questions, which I was happy to answer.

Exit Tickets were provided to all students in attendance.  Below are excerpts from some of these:

Today I heard/saw… “Giselle’s presentation -love your presentation”

This made me think… “is it good to always be interdependent”

Now, I wonder… “is it hard to face obstacles without any help?”


Today I heard/saw… “Giselle communicate with her device and saw an amazing presentation about her.”

This made me think… “That no matter what or who you are, you can accomplish your goals.”

Now, I wonder… “How you are so brave.”


Today I heard/saw… “Giselle Gaylie she gave a wonderful inspiring presentation.”

This made me think… “How hard she worked to get to where she is now and how she thought to not give up.”

Now, I wonder… “If there was once she thought to give up and to not let negative comments to affect her. Thank You!!!!”


Today I heard/saw… “I saw Giselle Gaylie and heard her talk”

This made me think… “to help others”

Now, I wonder… “How I can help others”


Today I heard/saw… “Giselle happy”

This made me think… “That everyone is special”

Now, I wonder… “How Giselle’s future will be.”


Today I heard/saw… “I heard that Giselle has been a Public Speaker for over a year”

This made me think… “She has talked to a lot of people”

Now, I wonder… “In the future she will talk to a really big crowd”


Today I heard/saw… “I heard that this girl is so powerful, and she doesn’t care what anyone says”

This made me think… “This made me think just because she acts like this doesn’t mean she is different”

Now, I wonder… “if she ever gets scared of talking to people in large groups”


Today I heard/saw… “About a girl with some struggle and faced her problems”

This made me think… “I can do so many things like helping”

Now, I wonder… “How can I help others”


Today I heard/saw… “about the obstacles Giselle faced.”

This made me think… “about how grateful I am to not have to face these challenges.”

Now, I wonder… “how she will keep inspiring people in the future”


Today I heard/saw… “that to overcome obstacles with other people”

This made me think… “that no one should be keeping to themselves.”

Now, I wonder… “that if I am different nothing can stop me”


Today I heard/saw… “Today I saw that Giselle is a very strong girl to face every challenge that came to her life when she was younger.”

This made me think… “This made me think that you don’t let any negative thoughts to bring you down. Giselle is a very dependent person.”

Now, I wonder… “I wonder how people would be if they let negative thoughts eat their positivity. If they don’t believe that God is not watching over them.”


Today I heard/saw… “Giselle a public speaker talking about her life problems, and her experience growing up with others.”

This made me think… “It is incredible how people with any disabilities are able to do exactly what other people do. It really does inspire me.”

Now, I wonder… “How she doesn’t let negative comments in her head?”


Today I heard/saw… “How she communicates to others and her challenges she faced.”

This made me think… “That no matter what I’m going through I can do it.”

Now, I wonder… “How she learned how to talk to a lot of people at once.”


Today I heard/saw… “Today what I heard was never give up even if you have a disability”

This made me think… “This made me think how hard it would be with disabilities”

Now, I wonder… “I wonder if she likes to do a lot more other things”


Today I heard/saw… “I saw that she was disabled but still lived a normal life no matter what”

This made me think… “You can still be normal even though you’re disabled”

Now, I wonder… “How did people treat her in school and outside of school?”


Today I heard/saw… “How she faced challenges on a wheelchair”

This made me think… “How she faces challenges in a positive way.”

Now, I wonder… “How she is proactive on a wheelchair.”


It was a blessing to have inspired these students this afternoon.  I am truly thankful to both Ms. Alphonso-Balogun and Ms. Spagnoli for inviting me.

As I was getting ready to leave the school, I came across Mrs. Kirkpatrick, an Educational Resource Worker, who worked with me back in Senior Kindergarten.  She was as vibrant and full of joy today, as she was back then.

With a grateful heart, I am thankful for having had this wonderful Public Speaking opportunity today.