What's happening: On October 23rd, Smith School 6th graders attended an assembly with guest speaker, Chris Singleton - a renowned speaker, author, sportscaster and former American professional baseball outfielder.
Why it matters: The mission and purpose of Chris’s presentation is to always inspire his audiences with his story of resilience and to unite millions of people with his belief that, "Love is Stronger Than Hate."
Mr. Singleton’s presentation was interactive, optimistic, loud (in a good way!) and focused on unity. Consistently messaging that love is more powerful than hate, Mr. Singleton illustrated the power of words can have on others and what we can all do to make sure that all members of our Learning Community are kinder than necessary on a daily basis. Most importantly, Mr. Singleton emphasized how students should take an active role in creating a welcoming and supportive community by being open-minded, empathetic, and inclusive toward their peers.
Go deeper: Chris became a nationally-renowned speaker with a message of resilience, forgiveness and unity following the loss of his mother in the 2015 Mother Emanuel Church tragedy in Charleston, SC. His message to Smith students gave key insight into the importance of building unityChris Singleton has received starred reviews on both of his books Baseball Around The World, and Different: A Story About Loving Your Neighbor. You can learn more about his mission and purpose by visiting https://www.chrissingleton.com/
The big picture: Mr. Chris Singleton was the first of five speakers in Smith Middle School’s Accepting and Belonging Conversations (ABCs) this school year.