On the Path to Improvement with Mike Donahue
By Ella Gaes
Pierce Public School was happy to host exceptional motivational speaker, Mike Donahue on Wednesday, January 25. The high school had a change in their schedule to include an hour of his words in the morning.
A little after the assembly, Donahue spoke to two different individual leadership groups where he got more personal with his stories and focused on how important leadership is in our school. He then ate school lunch and visited with students throughout his meal. After a while, he headed to the elementary to speak to the fifth and sixth graders.
The students up at the high school were dismissed at 2:45 for the teacher session. That night, parents were encouraged to attend his parent session.
Upon presentation, they were given a card for their students to gain four extra bonus points to use on any test or assignment. Crys Bauermeister attended the session for parents and said, “One of the things he said was “Don’t punish honesty, but you can punish the behavior. We can help our kids by not allowing electronics in their rooms, especially after certain time periods because kids need sleep to help with their mental health.”
High school principal Mr. Mark Brahmer thought his words were very valuable, he goes on to say, “Mr. Donahue brought a very positive message to our students. Mike has an uncanny ability to relate to students of all ages and backgrounds. He’s able to get adolescents and young adults to be “forward-thinkers” and to work through some of their personal difficulties and then focus on the positive aspects of their lives and futures.”
As stated in the value-up website, Donahue is the founder and director of Value Up, a Nebraska based motivational company that focuses on positive school culture. He has spoken to over a million students throughout the last three decades in live settings. He has worked with young people all over the world including the United States, Asia, South America, and Europe. Donahue has authored four books: Reinventing My Normal, Hidden Scars, Talking to Brick Walls, and his latest book, Value Up.
He is a highly sought-after speaker and one of the best on the subjects of respect, bullying, resiliency and other school climate issues. He has spoken alongside the likes of Roger Goodell, the commissioner of the NFL, and Arne Duncan, the Secretary of Education under President Barack Obama. His candid style and authentic persona keeps students engaged throughout the entire presentation and leaves them inspired.
After partnering with thousands of schools and speaking/listening to educators and students, Donahue has come to understand that so many teen issues are directly related to how students view themselves. If a student believes they have high intrinsic value and identify with that high value, they make life choices that match their perceived value identity. Students who value and respect themselves make positive life choices and show greater value and respect to others. Value Up was created to amplify value in every student, resulting in strengthening a positive school culture.
Mike and his wife Rachel live in Omaha, but he hails from Boston, Massachusets, and was a member of the United States Air Force. He is the father of five children. He has dedicated his life to helping students understand their own innate value and the value of other people.
Brielle Unseld, a senior who attended one of his leadership presentations says, “I thought he was a unique speaker because he talked to us, not at us. The quote that stood out to me was ‘Don’t let the worst day win.’ It's saying even though there are really hard days, that day is going to pass and there will be brighter days ahead.”
