Public invited to hear Garcia at MAPS Great Speaker Event
TINA L. SCOTT
EDITOR
Merrill Area Public Schools (MAPS) will feature popular youth speaker David Edward Garcia as the motivational speaker for this year’s Great Speaker Forum on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. at the Merrill High School Fieldhouse, and the public is invited to attend.
“Speaker David Edward Garcia empathizes with diverse students who face challenges because he was once considered an ‘at-risk student’ himself before defying the odds and graduating with a bachelor’s degree and then earning his Master’s Degree,” a MAPS press release said. “He has motivated children and mature adults in some of the greatest metropolitan cities of the world: Los Angeles, New York, Sao Paulo, Paris, and London. His upbringing facilitated his multiculturalism/multilingualism, which make it easy to relate to diverse audiences.”
All of that sounds impressive, but Garcia’s own words tell more about the message he will bring to the youth of the Merrill community, and to anyone else who comes to hear him speak.
“Find your genius … find your strength … find success on your own terms,” Garcia says. “Every single one of you is a genius … When you find your genius, you become unstoppable. … On the other side of that pain is power … is something wonderful, is a beautiful treasure … don’t ever give up just because you can’t see it.”
“Life is not about what happens to you. It is about the story you tell yourself about what happened,” he says. “Life can be cruel to you …. but life can never write your story. … Find your genius. … Write your story. … Find your team.”
If this kind of motivational speech is what you need to hear, alongside the Merrill community’s youth, make it a point to attend this event to hear Garcia for yourself.
“We are pleased to welcome David as this year’s Great Speaker Forum presenter,” said Shannon Murray, Superintendent of MAPS. “We encourage members of the community to attend and witness the value our outstanding guest speakers bring to our students.”
The Merrill Great Speaker Forum has been bringing in high-quality speakers to present to MAPS middle school and high school students each year for more than 40 years.
Since 1978, the Merrill Great Speaker Forum has invited diverse and engaging speakers to the schools, focusing on subjects including self-esteem, self-worth, dignity of person, pride in self, goals and achievement, patriotism, and coping with societal problems like drug abuse and teen pregnancy, the release said.
The Merrill Great Speaker Forum is funded entirely by donations from Merrill business and individuals with contributions ranging from $25 to $1,000.
This year’s speaker was made possible by the following individual and business donations: Merrill Foundation, $1,500; Prairie River Properties, $500; Merrill Lions Club, $200; Kiwanis Club of Greater Merrill, $150; Turtle Lake Forestry, LLC, $150; Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie #584, $100; Merrill Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Inc., $100; Merrill Chamber of Commerce, $100; Reindl Printing, $100; Ron & Kay Nicklaus, $100; Rose Skic, $100; Baumgart Waste Removal, $50; Eagles Ladies Auxiliary #584, $50; KB Body Shop, Inc., $50; Maxine & Jay Tlusty, $50; Social Topics Club, $35; Brad & Tammy Woller, $25; Gleason Lions Club, $25; and, Hugo’s Pizza Shop, $25.
“We continue to appreciate the support the Great Speaker Forum has received from local businesses and members of the community,” said Murray, “Our partnership with the community is vital, and we thank you for supporting our students!”
The Great Speaker Forum Committee is made up of community members, school district personnel, and students. Students participating on the committee this year are Aaron Collinsworth, Jaiden Pillai, Brooke Rudie, Josie Geiss, Zander Meyer, and Maya Paulus.
“The students researched potential speakers and ultimately made the decision based on the relevancy of the message the speaker brings to the students,” the press release said. “Students serve on the committee beginning in sixth grade and remain active through their Senior year.”
Staff members on the committee are Trisha Detert, Diane Goetsch, Kasie Holt, Trina Knospe, Shannon Murray, and Tammy Woller. Community members on the committee are Renea Frederick, Clyde Nelson, Mike Ravn, Lynne Reindl, Sarah Sturm, and Jay Tlusty.