First I’d like to thank David and Allison for asking me to speak to you. It’s truly an honor. Tonight I’ve been asked to say a few words about courage, which is ironic because even though I’ve taught high school for almost 20 years and given countless presentations I’m a little nervous right now.

Courage is something everybody desires. Wikipedia, which we all know is always true, defines courage as the ability to confront agony, pain, danger and uncertainty. From the cowardly lion in the Wizard of Oz who found the courage to face the witch, to David facing the Goliath in the Bible or Luke Skywalker battling Darth Vader we are raised on heroic and inspirational tales.

But courage isn’t just about physical bravery, it’s the ability of the Debs and Plebes to present a flawless performance of Lil Abner in the Starlight Playhouse in front of a full rec hall. It’s deciding to follow your dreams despite others telling you won’t make it. What if Michael Jordan stopped playing basketball after Diego cut him from his 9th grade team? What is Taylor Swift stopped singing after being turned down by the first record label? And most importantly, what if David Miller didn’t follow his dreams to acquire and direct Camp Starlight? As time has shown us, these innovators wouldn’t be denied. They had courage to follow through with their dreams.

So you may be wondering how can I get the kind of courage that Steph Curry has when shooting threes or Katy Perry has when performing on stage? I may not have the exact same answer but I can offer some help.

First you must realize that everyone has fears, you are not alone. I don’t like to fly on airplanes, you may not like heights or maybe you are afraid to play soccer because Whatley really scares you. It’s okay, over time you will develop the skills to cope with these situations. The more you experience fear or anxiety, the easier it becomes to deal with.

Here are three things that will allow you to build courage and conquer all your fears, and the best thing is that you can do all of these, right here at Camp Starlight.

1. Take a deep breath–this will relax your body and mind and make the situation easier to deal with. So before conquering the zip line, take a deep breath and then jump. trust me you’ll have the ride of your life.
2. Get active. Exercise releases endorphins in your body that make you feel better and forget about your worries. So whether it’s playing hockey with Wade, hoops with Diego or dancing with Loren, you’ll always feel better when you exercise.
3. Get a proper amount of sleep. Eight hours of sleep a night will ensure that your mind and body are functioning at an optimal level. So when you face the star jump or are preparing for the Spirit of Starlight, you’ll be ready.

Let me conclude with a short poem from my Lower Inter daughter Lilly that she wrote about courage:

You’ve made it this far

And now you will see

That you must be brave

If you want to succeed