Mark Brown Speaks at Tamanend
November 12, 2014
Change A Life!
Courtesy of Great American Opportunities, Mr. Mark Brown visited Tamanend Middle School this morning to share his message with Lenape, Unami, and Tamanend 7th graders about bullying, "the big lie," and his challenge for all of us. Mr. Brown is a World Champion of Public Speaking and it is his mission to motivate and educate young people to "change a life."
"We don't like what we don't understand and in fact it scares us, and this [person] is mysterious at least."
- From Beauty & the Beast
Mr. Brown built his message by sharing his personal story of being bullied, parts of his favorite Disney movie, "Beauty and the Beast," and the words of Mother Teresa. He asked students for their honesty in responding to his questions about bullying, and he was honest in telling them the true damage and dangers that bullying presents.
Mr. Brown defines what he calls the "big lie" as those times when someone says something demeaning and then follows it up with "just kidding." Saying your kidding does not take away the sting from hurtful words. The hurt person may act like it is alright, hiding behind what Mr. Brown calls a "plastic smile," but it is not alright. Hurtful words are deeply hurtful and last a long time.
"Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier."
- Mother Teresa
Mr. Brown left us with a challenge... to think about our words, and to go out of our way to be nice to others. In doing so, Mr. Brown believes we can change a life, change our school, and even change the world.
Thank You
We would like to thank Great American Opportunities and Mr. Anthony Tosti for bringing Mr. Mark Brown to our schools. We thank Mr. Brown for his passion for reaching out to students with honesty and believing in their power to "change a life." We thank Mr. John Murtha, Assistant Principal of Unami Middle School, and Mr. Jon Boyle, Tamanend's Assistant Principal, for arranging this presentation for our three middle schools as well as a separate presentation for Tohickon and Holicong Middle Schools.
Tamanend Middle School
Email: tms@cbsd.org
Website: http://www.cbsd.org/tamanend
Location: 1492 Stuckert Road, Warrington, PA
Phone: 267.893.2900
Twitter: @CBTamanendMS