Speakers Motivate Area Students
Motivational speakers Elwood Pipestem-Ott and Darnell Jackson provided positive messages to area students throughout the day on Thursday, Sept. 11.
The two spoke at Frontier School, Frazer School and at Wolf Point junior high/high school. Pipestem-Ott is a former assistant basketball coach at Haskell University and director of organizational development for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Jackson played professional basketball in the NBA and in Europe.
Pipestem-Ott got the students interested quickly by having them yell “success.” He noted that everybody goes through storms in their personal lives. Driving through the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, he observed many images of buffalo. He told students that while other animals run away from storms, buffalo join together and head toward the storm.
Like the buffalo, Pipestem-Ott said individuals need to learn some good teachings and be a good relative to each other. He urged students to give compliments, provide encouraging words and let trusted adults know why you’re having a tough time.
“The more we help each other, the better the community can be,” he added. He said the more good that we do, the more good comes back to you.
Pipestem-Ott said he wouldn’t had made it through his own storms without the assistance of teachers, coaches and loved one.
Jackson opened his presentation by having students repeat, “I’m great,” “I’m the one,” and “I’m the best.” He said no one told him those positive words when he was growing up.
He used the negative comments from others to fuel his motivation to becoming a professional basketball player.
His book, “Behind The Smile,” describes when people say things are OK when they are actually hurting inside. He urged students to talk to adults including teachers when they are having problems.
Jackson told students that if they want to achieve success in something, they need to be obsessed about it. He stressed to students that they need to stay the course, learn and accept knowledge.
