Unstoppable champions in the making at Royal Vale
On January 28, the Grade 6 students at Royal Vale Elementary School entered the auditorium not quite sure of what to expect. Maryam Ganni was in the house, and she was about to deliver a powerful, heartfelt presentation that would remind them of essential philosophies to guide them for life.
Your words matter, and so do you
Ganni invited students to reflect on who they are and who they are becoming. She asked them to share personal affirmations, which they proudly echoed through the auditorium, such as “I’m learning at my own pace,” “I can do this,” and “I am beautiful.” One student shared: “I’m braver than you believe, stronger than you see, smarter than you think, and love more than you know,” to which Ganni encourage a round of applause.
Ganni spoke candidly about bullying, healing, and the power of words. She taught students that “hurt people hurt people, but healed people help others heal.” She challenged them to be mindful of both the words they use with others and the words they say to themselves. “Words carry power. With a single word, you can change someone’s world,” she emphasized.
“Affirmations only work if you give them a reason to,” Ganni continued. Students were invited to create ‘I am….because’ statements, which they were eager to share: “I’m kind because I help people heal when they are hurt,” and “I’m a champion because I work hard and never stop believing.”
Inspirations’ editor, Kristin McNeill, attended Ganni’s talk and was struck by how fully engaged the students were. “I watched the students from time to time to see how they were absorbing her talk, and it was so interesting how curious many of them seemed. I even saw a few physically lean forward when Maryam was describing her diagnosis,” she shared. “I loved how she spun it into something positive, less scary and more inspirational. She was so engaging the way she spoke. I am thrilled to have witnessed the power of her talk myself.”
Ganni reminded us that when your voice and heart are aligned, you don’t just speak, you lead, you lift, you love, and you become unstoppable. She gets as much back from the students as she gives to them. “How can anyone in my case ever think to give up when you see how it impacts the youth, my audience. That keeps me going and makes me unstoppable,” she said.
Judging by the energy of the champions in the auditorium, the future is in very good hands. 💫
For information: info@inspirationsnews.com
