THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 23, 1996 TAG: 9605230347
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KIA MORGAN ALLEN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 68 lines
Chris Brockman, a 10th-grader at Lake Taylor High School, considered himself a failure. He said he was lazy, gave up on school and went from being a straight-A student to practically making all F's.
But Wednesday, he was inspired enough to say that he plans to change.
Willie Jolley, an inspirational speaker from Washington, D.C., who has been touring the Norfolk and Virginia Beach schools this week as part of the ``Dare 2 Dream Dare 2 Win Tour 96'' has changed the lives of youths in a generation marked with the letter X.
``Dreams are the seeds of success. If you can take a dream, create it in your mind, plant it in your heart, it will grow.'' But, ``You have to be concerned about the weeds,'' he warned.
The weeds he told the group, are ``dream busters.''
The dream busters, he said, are: drugs, petty, small-minded people who use the word ``can't'', and people who associate being smart with being a nerd.
``Failure loves company,'' he said.
He told the students not to associate themselves with those elements or those people.
``Your mind is your muscle. The ones who press your mind are the ones who make it stronger.''
Jolley is a believer: Making even the most self-conscious person stride with pride. He is a motivator: Urging the hundreds of students who filled the auditorium on a hot Wednesday morning to sit up straight and repeat after him. They chanted together:
I feel good, real good. Wide awake, ready to shake, ready to bake, ready to learn. I feel good, real good. Fantastic. I feel great!
A roar of applause wafted through the room. His fast-paced approach and interaction were well received by the students. He kept them on the edge of their seats.
Throughout the week, Jolley spread his message to South Hampton Roads students as part of a national motivational-speaking tour sponsored by Mistic Brands Inc. He told stories about his young years. He gave advice on how to tackle adversity and touched on problems of peer pressure and what being determined and hungry can do for you. He gave money to anyone who would stand up, give him a firm handshake, look him straight in the eye and loudly say his or her name.
Although Jolley was older, he could relate to the problems of today's youth, so the students thought. He touched on topics that he knew would spark their interest.
Jolley, owner of his own motivational speaking company, InspirTainment Plus, said the one thing most successful people have is money. He asked how many in the crowd wanted to make money.
With all hands raised, he said, ``Money does not determine your success. If you are successful, you can have as much money as you need.''
But first, he said, ``You have to have the common denominator or main ingredient - the ability to dream.''
Jolley not only provoked thought among Lake Taylor students, but he stimulated them.
``We are the generation of doctors, scientists and lawyers,'' said 16-year-old Crystal Willingham, a ninth-grader at Lake Taylor. ``I'm going to prove to negative adults that I'm going to be somebody. I'm going to be a nerd with an education.''
Jolley left them with an indelible impression and confidence that he cares. ``If nobody else in the world believes you, I do.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
LAWRENCE JACKSON/The Virginian-Pilot
Willie Jolley, who has been touring Norfolk and Virginia Beach
schools this week as part of the ``Dare 2 Dream Dare 2 Win Tour
96,'' addresses students at Norfolk's Ruffner Middle School
Wednesday. by CNB