St. Vrain Welcome Back 2018

by | Aug 3, 2018 | Speaking Recap, Students And Educators Speaking

Everytime that I have the opportunity to deliver a keynote speech, I aim to inspire and motivate the audience members to make positive changes in their lives. On some occasions, I find that the audience inspires and motivates me in return. That was certainly the case at the St. Vrain Valley School District Welcome Back Event, where I delivered my inspirational keynote to about 500 school faculty and staff.

The education industry is one of incredibly impactful service. Whether it’s a bus driver getting our kids to and from school safely or a nurse who cleans their scrapes and bruises after an incident at recess, these are jobs that are tremendously helpful to others but that all too often go unrecognized and unappreciated. I wanted to really celebrate those contributions and to deliver a fun and energetic keynote that would get everybody ready to make a difference during the 2018-2019 school year.

My simple formula for living a better life is to create more experiences, share more stories, and live more fulfilled. And I’ve found throughout my life that there is nothing more fulfilling than serving others, so it’s amazing to get to interact with people that do that on a daily basis.

At the same time, though, it’s all too easy to get caught up in helping others and to forget about our own well-being in the process. I heard from quite a few people at the event who want to travel more, to be more active with their families, and generally to live more fulfilled outside of school. Of course, there’s always going to be something holding you back if you let it. And so, I challenged everybody in the room to do something significant for themselves in the next 12 months.To not put off those items on their bucket lists anymore. It’s so important for people to hear that it’s okay to put yourself first and to do the things that you want to do before this life slips away.

When you do a job of service and combine that with actively seeking to create exciting new experiences and to share stories that connect you with others, there’s no doubt that you are going to live a fulfilling life. Sharing that message with the St. Vrain community was a special opportunity because not only do I get to inspire the people that inspire me, but I also get to help them better serve the kids that they work with every day at school and to pass that positive message along to the next generation.

It truly was a pleasure to speak at the St. Vrain Welcome Back and everybody in attendance played at 100%. The energy was so positive that I really believe every single one of you deserves a Sonicare toothbrush!! And I hope that the coming school year is full of bright smiles and much fulfillment.

Testimonials

We brought in Kenyon Salo and I thought he was the perfect ending to the day. It was a great way to celebrate being together, having fun with each other, and getting up and moving.

It was amazing and wonderful, and it brought the room to a level of energy that was exciting on a Friday afternoon. So it was a great way to enter the weekend.

He talked about three things: creating experiences, telling stories, and giving back. I think the giving back strikes a chord for almost everyone in this room. That’s why we are who we are. We come to school and work for kids and make it a better life for them.

I would definitely recommend Kenyon – He was energizing and exciting and got people thinking.

Karen Percak

Learning Technology Coach, St. Vrain Valley School District

We had Kenyon Salo come in and speak to our group. He was absolutely inspirational. We laughed so much, and we cried. It was extremely emotional. He inspired us to look within ourselves and to see what connections we have with one another and how we want to give back.

We’ve been bringing in speakers annually for about 14 years, and we have really looked for people who have an engaging presence, have a lot of charisma. We absolutely want that humor, but we want someone who’s gonna provide a lasting message, and Kenyon did that in a really strategic way. He made us reflect on how we can be better.

I would completely recommend Kenyon Salo. He was energizing. He had us up. He had us moving. He had us talking to one another. He had inspirational videos. The hour flew by.

People were still lingering and talking after the event, and that’s just clear-cut evidence of an incredible speaker, when people don’t even want to leave.

Diane Lauer

Assistant Superintendent of Priority Programs and Academic Support, St. Vrain Valley School District

Today we brought in Kenyon Salo and he was really good. I liked the way he involved the people in the crowd, like getting them to talk to each other and to him. It wasn’t just a “sit and get” type of presentation. It was very high energy, the videos were high quality, the PowerPoint was also high quality, and he was very low maintenance. He was very self-sufficient. He came with his laptop. It was ready to go. When our lapel mic didn’t work well, Kenyon seamlessly transitioned to the handheld microphone.

I thought his message was really powerful – if you have something that you want to do with your life, don’t wait.  

Also, when our planning committee looked at his videos, he talked a lot about serving others, and I feel like that’s the core of what we do in this school district. You’re serving kids, you’re serving parents, and that message really resonates with our staff, because that’s what they’re all about.

Kenyon has a great sense of humor, and I think he continually connected with the people out in the audience.

He’s one of my personal favorite speakers and I would recommend Kenyon without hesitation for any type of keynote event!

Linda Lang

Administrative Assistant, St. Vrain Valley School District

I just saw Kenyon speak and it was absolutely fantastic. I thought it was powerful the way he challenged us to experience life and it inspired people to step out of their comfort zone to do more with their lives.

I would highly recommend Kenyon!

Susan Zimmerman

District Coordinator of Community Schools, St. Vrain Valley School District

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