Make The Connection & Improve School Climate

Format

Individual Presentation

First Presenter's Institution

Success International Incorporated

Second Presenter's Institution

na

Third Presenter's Institution

na

Fourth Presenter's Institution

na

Fifth Presenter's Institution

na

Location

Scarbrough 5

Strand #1

Safety & Violence Prevention

Strand #2

Family & Community

Relevance

Making the connection between students opens up trust and communication. Communication leads to information that helps keep our schools, families and communities safe as all three institutions are connected.

Brief Program Description

This presentation is designed for all teachers and administrators prepared to face some inconvenient truths, in an effort to keep their schools free from drug addiction, violence, suicide and bullying in an attempt to create a positive safe environment for students and staff by bringing together students, educators, families and communities.

Summary

Making the connection with children is one of the most powerful things we can do to reach them. In today's age you cannot teach children you are not connected to. In fact, it has been said that students are more interested in how much you care before they can appreciate how much knowledge you possess. Prevention is key. When teachers and staff are connected a positive school climate is maintained and incidents of violence are lessened in schools. In addition, connecting and listening to students will reveal their family and community challenges and help us better understand how to best reach the students needs. For example, providing a space for students in class to discuss current topics or share some of their life challenges is a perfect opportunity to bond with students and a better way to understand how to ultimately reach and teach them. This is particularly important when dealing with at risk youth. Indeed connecting with people everyday, one only has to look at the majority of school associated violence in this country and ask a simple question - was there anything we could have done to prevent this? if one is honest, usually there was something or someone who could have made a difference in a student's life. We all must strive to be that difference.

Evidence

I have worked with school districts and students and communities and families across the United States, also including prisons, corporations, politicians and municipalities and colleges. For over 20 years my work has been chronicled in newspapers and periodicals and on television shows across the United States. Please see attachments.

Biographical Sketch

A product of two college educated parents, Victor's mother was a school teacher and father was a successful businessman. An extremely gifted and spirited child, Victor found himself at odds with a school system that was unable to deal with Victor's unique characteristics and abilities. He has often referred to himself to audiences as a cross between Ferris Bueller, the Omen and Leave It To Beaver all mixed up in one. Having gone astray from the conventional accepted behavior for normal teens, Victor became enamored with crime and used his incredible gifts and talents in the wrong way.

He was sent to state prison for his role in one of the biggest armed robbery rings in the history of Chicago, equipped with walkie talkies and binoculars with six other students, and years later was arrested by the United States Secret Service for masterminding a $40 million dollar credit card conspiracy. After serving time in federal prison he was told he would never be a successful author or speaker, Victor emerged from his prison experience determined and relentless to beat the odds that he faced. In spite of being rejected by almost every major publishing company in New York, instead of giving up, Victor's persistence paid off and his autobiography, A Breed Apart, was published by Simon & Schuster the biggest publishing company in the world. His autobiography has been endorsed by Chaka Khan, Bernie Mac, former Vice President of Sony Music David McPherson and former United States Ambassador, Andrew Young wrote the foreword for the book. A Breed Apart, is currently now being adapted into a major motion picture or Netflix series. He is also the author of Successfully Achieving Your Vision books, volumes I and II.

Victor attended Northwestern University and has appeared on CNN, Fox TV's O'Reilly Factor, CSpan, BET, CBS, and ABC News, as well as, in Ebony magazine and newspapers across the United States, including The Chicago Tribune. He is a former radio talk show host of Real Talk with Victor Woods.

Victor Woods has shared his timeless message Never Give Up at colleges, universities, businesses and organizations around the United States, from Disneyworld to Fordham University to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, University of Michigan, Morehouse College business school, Oklahoma State Capitol, Wisconsin State Capitol, National Urban League Conference, NAACP, National Dropout Prevention Conference, National Juvenile Justice Conference, National Criminal Justice conference just to name a few.

In fact, Victor has been sought out by educators all over the United States on how to educate the Victor Woods' personalities in their school districts. Victor keynoted at the former Houston Astrodome in front of 25,000 educators and also spoke at the NYSCOSS (New York State Council of School Superintendents).

Victor's audiences are diverse and life story has been mesmerizing and his style of speaking has been said to be spellbinding. Victor's life's challenges and current success force all to hear him to look in the mirror and realize that if Victor Woods could achieve his vision through sheer will, sacrifice and determination that life holds no excuse for failure, and the universe opens up for a man or woman who knows where they're going. Simply put, that's why Victor has been speaking non stop for two decades inspiring all that hear him to never give up. His journey from prison to the biggest publishing company in the world is incredible. Having beaten the odds against him, Victor's message is perfect for anyone who aspires to greatness in their life no matter what their circumstances are, that you can make it.

Keyword Descriptors

Never Give Up, Making the Connection, Motivational, Inspirational, Success, Relentlessness, Determination, Overcoming Challenges, Failure is not an option

Presentation Year

2018

Start Date

3-6-2018 8:30 AM

End Date

3-6-2018 9:45 AM

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Mar 6th, 8:30 AM Mar 6th, 9:45 AM

Make The Connection & Improve School Climate

Scarbrough 5

This presentation is designed for all teachers and administrators prepared to face some inconvenient truths, in an effort to keep their schools free from drug addiction, violence, suicide and bullying in an attempt to create a positive safe environment for students and staff by bringing together students, educators, families and communities.