There
are little eyes upon you,
And
they’re watching night and day.
There
are little ears that quickly,
Take
in every word you say.
There
are little hands all eager,
To
do everything you do.
And
a little child who’s dreaming,
Of
the day he/she’ll be like you.
~
Anonymous ~
1.
You will receive written/verbal confirmation of the appearance from the
C.A.T.S. office. You can pick up an information sheet in McKale Room 109K.
Information will include:
a.
Date and time of
program.
b.
Time of
departure and return.
c.
Organization’s
name.
d.
Age of your
audience.
e.
Number in your
audience.
f.
Topic of your
discussion.
g.
One-page
reminder (related to topic of discussion).
h.
Other
student-athletes (S/As) participating.
i.
Upcoming
appearances.
j.
Suggested
attire.
2.
Prepare for your presentation by:
a.
Picking up an
information sheet.
b.
Looking over the
one-page reminder.
c.
Thinking about
key points you want to make.
d.
Collaborating
with other S/As to plan your talk.
e.
Outlining your
presentation on paper.
f.
Thinking about
personal anecdotes to use.
3.
Call and leave a message in the C.A.T.S. office (621-8362) or stop by the
McKale Room 109K to confirm your appearance.
NOTE: If you
are going to be LATE, or if you have to CANCEL at the last minute, please CALL
the C.A.T.S. office immediately!
On
the Day of the Presentation
1.
Be On Time
a.
Meet in front of
the McKale Ticket Office.
b.
Arrive 10-15
minutes early.
c.
Call 621-8362 if
you are going to be late.
2.
Wear Appropriate Attire
a.
Dress neatly and
professionally.
b.
Wear your Smith
Project Speaker’s Bureau T-shirt, UA colors, or team uniform.
c.
Avoid shirts
with inappropriate labels or messages.
3.
Address Your Audience
a.
Do not glamorize
certain behaviors, i.e. ‘partying’.
b.
Speak slowly,
clearly, and concisely.
c.
Avoid slang and
swear words.
d.
Adjust your
vocabulary to age level of your audience.
e.
Explain
difficult words if necessary.
f.
Maintain eye
contact with your audience.
4.
Be Aware of Your Body Language
a.
Be enthusiastic
and lively.
b.
Avoid a
monotonous voice.
c.
Show pride in
being a Wildcat!
5.
Allow Time for Questions
a.
Leave about ten
minutes at the end of your presentation to answer questions.
b.
If you do not
know the answer to something, just say so.
c.
If nobody asks
anything, be ready with probing questions to keep your audience going.
d.
Before answering
each question, repeat it for others to hear.
After
Your Presentation
1.
Evaluate your own presentation:
2.
Jot down any ideas you may have gotten from other speakers.
3.
What did you learn from this experience?
Working
with Groups
1.
Be real. Share things about yourself:
2.
Use humor only when appropriate.
3.
Share your thoughts and feelings about the requested topic.
4.
Be respectful, courteous.
5.
Make sure you capture and keep your audience’s attention.
6.
Have a positive approach.
7.
Seek to understand your group, read their behavior.
8.
When answering questions or listening to comments, repeat them for all to
hear.
9.
Ask yourself if you are really leaving a good message with the children.
Questions
and Answers
1.
Time
Depending on the age of your audience, leave about 10
minutes at the end of the presentation to answer questions. Monitor the time and
make sure to end the session when your students start getting restless or when
they start telling stories rather than asking questions.
2.
Answering Difficult Questions
a.
Be prepared for
all kinds of questions, including personal ones. If a question is too personal,
simply tell them and move on to the next one. You may be asked very difficult
questions such as:
‘Have
you ever used drugs?’
‘Do
you smoke?’
‘Do
you drink?’
If you ever have this type of experience, stress the dangers
of substance abuse and state why it causes you pain and suffering (deteriorating
health, losing friends, failing school, underachieving in sport, etc).
b.
When asked
questions about teammates, be careful not to implicate individuals or teams. Do
not name any athlete, sport, or school, even if specific incidents have been
publicized in the media.
c.
If you feel
comfortable, lead a discussion about the topic and let people express their
opinions.
Speaking
to Different Age Groups
1.
Late Childhood or Preadolescence (ages 5 – 12)
When talking to
elementary school students (below the age of 12), the primary message should be
prevention. It is best if these youngsters never start with alcohol or drugs,
and the evidence is that the most successes lie within this group.
a.
General
Characteristics
-
Interested in
people, aware of differences and willing to give more to others.
-
Busy, active,
full of enthusiasm, accident-prone.
-
Sensitive to
criticism, recognize failure, capable of self-evaluation.
-
Decisive,
dependable, reasonable, strong sense of right and wrong.
b.
Physical
Characteristics
-
Very active and
in need of frequent breaks.
-
Bone growth is
not yet complete.
-
Early maturers
may be upset with their size.
-
Concerned with
appearance.
c.
Social
Characteristics
-
Competitive.
-
Picky about
friends.
-
Important to be
accepted.
-
Team games are
popular.
-
Have heroes.
-
Cliques start to
develop.
-
Crushes.
d.
Emotional
Characteristics
-
Sensitive to
praise and recognition.
-
Feelings get
hurt easily.
-
Conflict between
adults’ rules and friends’ rules.
-
Concerned about
others’ opinion of them.
e.
Mental
Characteristics
-
Fairness is a
big issue.
-
Eager to answer
questions.
-
Very curious.
-
Desire more
independence.
f.
Working with
grades K-3 (ages 5-8)
-
Be very positive
and use imaginative stories.
-
Plan for short
talks.
-
Do not pass
anything around – walk around the group to show it.
-
Use group
answers or have the group repeat after you.
-
Keep ideas to
the present.
g.
Working with
grades 4-6 (ages 9-12)
Recent studies show that the average age to begin
experimentation is about 12 years old, or during the 5th and 6th
grades for most youngsters. Typically, alcohol and tobacco are considered the
‘gateway’ drugs. People progress from these drugs to marijuana and then hard
drugs.
-
Be encouraging
and use a pleasant tone of voice.
-
Do not be
concerned with covering a certain amount of information.
-
Set up rules,
raising hands etc.
-
Plan for an
attention span of 30 minutes.
-
Keep ideas to
the present.
-
Be ready to
answer a lot of questions and learn how to handle storytellers.
2.
Early Adolescence (ages 13 – 16)
Middle school students
are very susceptible to experimentation. Encourage those who are already
involved with drugs and alcohol to stop, and encourage those who are not
involved to continue staying clean. It is important to reassure those who have
not started that they are doing the right thing.
a.
General
Characteristics
-
Know-it-all
attitude.
-
Vulnerable,
emotionally insecure, afraid of rejection.
-
Mood swings.
b.
Physical
Characteristics
-
Physical changes
affect personal appearance.
-
Self-conscious
about growth.
-
Bad diet and
sleep habits.
-
Rapid weight
gain.
c.
Social
Characteristics
-
Friends set
general rules for behavior.
-
Great need to
conform.
-
Very concerned
with what others say or think of them.
-
Tendency to
manipulate others.
-
Going to
extremes, emotional instability.
-
Fear of ridicule
or of being unpopular.
-
Strong
identification with an admired adult.
-
Girls more
interested in boys.
d.
Emotional
Characteristics
-
Sensitive to
praise and recognition.
-
Caught between
being a child and being an adult.
-
Loud behavior
hides lack of self-confidence.
-
Look at world
more objectively.
e.
Mental
Characteristics
-
Better
understand moral principles.
-
Attention span
can be lengthy.
f.
Working with
grades 6-8 (ages 13-16)
-
Be a real
person: discuss real situations and experiences you have had.
-
Use dilemmas to
bring out discussions, then ask opinions and discuss both sides.
-
Be positive and
discuss ways to get motivated and feel good.
-
Plan for longer
activities: 30-45 minutes.
-
Find out who
they admire and use them in examples.
-
Teach social and
leadership skills.
Topics
of Presentation
1.
Saying No to Drugs
“Yes
and No are the easiest words in the English language, yet, sometimes, they are
the hardest ones to say.”
--- Claire Woodbridge
When discussing the dangers of drug use, you are not
expected to be an expert on each drug. However, you should have clear values
regarding the dangers of drugs. State your personal opinion and relate your
experiences (your own or those with friends) with taking drugs. Talk about peer
pressure and how/why to withstand it.
a.
Why are drugs
wrong?
-
Drugs keep you
from being honest/responsible/credible.
-
Drugs kill your
dreams and prevent you from achieving them.
-
Drugs will
seduce you, turn you on then take away your dreams and desires.
-
Drugs will stop
you, slow you down, and hinder your personal growth (physical/emotional/social).
-
Drugs erode
self-discipline and motivation needed for learning.
-
Drugs will take
away your lifestyle and everything you value.
-
Drugs can kill
you or may take you to prison.
-
Drugs have been
known to destroy families.
-
Drugs change the
personal relationships you worked hard to build.
-
Drugs are a downhill trip: health problems, legal problems, moral
problems, economic problems, and family problems.
-
Drugs and alcohol alter the organs in your body (brain, liver, intestinal
system, circulatory system, skin, etc). These changes can be long-term. Some
effects can be reversed when the intake is stopped, but others may be permanent.
-
Drug use is tied to truancy and dropping out of school.
b.
Why do people
start to use drugs?
-
Because they
want to satisfy their curiosity.
-
Because they
want to look cool, tough, or smart.
-
Because their
friends/parents/family/role models do drugs.
-
Because they
want to be accepted into a group.
-
Because they
want to keep their so-called friends.
-
Because they
want to feel grown-up and make their own decisions.
-
Because they do
not know how to say NO (see section f for
techniques on how to say NO).
-
Because it does
not seem dangerous.
c.
Why do most
people not start to use drugs?
-
Because their
friends/parents/family/role models do not do drugs.
-
Because they get
involved in better activities.
-
Because they do
not want legal trouble.
-
Because they do
not want problems at school.
-
Because drugs
are bad for their health.
-
Because they do
not want to become addicted.
-
Because they
want to be in control of their bodies.
-
Because they are
afraid of cancer and other diseases.
-
Because they
will lose their real friends.
-
Because drugs
will stop them from reaching their goals.
-
Because they
like themselves the way they are.
d.
Risk factors in
substance abuse:
Harmful involvement with drugs will affect all major areas
of a young person’s life. Some of these major areas are:
-
Family
functioning: disruption of family roles.
-
School
performance: attendance, grades, interests, and motivation.
-
Attitude:
indifference, unconcerned with consequences.
-
Behavior:
withdrawal, hostility, and irresponsibility.
-
Social aspect:
change of friends, isolation.
-
Interests:
preoccupations with use of drugs.
e.
Staying out of
trouble and keeping your friends:
-
Ask questions:
What are we going to do?
-
Name the
trouble: That’s… (stealing, dangerous, illegal etc)
-
Identify the
consequences: If we get caught, we’ll be in big trouble.
-
Suggest an
alternative: Why don’t we go to my house instead?
-
Tell them what
you are going to do and leave the door open: If you change your mind,…
f.
Techniques to
say NO:
There are different ways to say NO to drug offers or
pressure to do things you do not want to do:
-
Say ‘no
thanks’.
-
Give a reason or
an excuse.
-
Use a broken
record, repeat your refusal.
-
Walk away from
it.
-
Change the
subject.
-
Hang around
non-users.
2.
The Importance of Academics
“Anyone
who stops learning is old, whether at 20 or 80. Anyone who keeps learning stays
young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.”
--- Henry Ford
When talking about the importance of an education, the
following points should be discussed:
a.
Your personal
perspective on why an education is important:
-
Who/what
motivated you to graduate from high school.
-
Who/what
motivated you to pursue a college degree.
-
Share advice you
were given about staying in school.
-
Share your
experiences vs. those of others who did not graduate from high school or
college.
b.
The importance
of getting a high school diploma:
-
Being able to
get a job.
-
Being able to
join the military.
-
Being able to go
to college.
c.
The investment
into a college education:
-
Being able to
pursue a career rather than just a job.
-
Being able to
make more money.
-
Being able to
meet lifelong friends from all over the country/world.
d.
An education
provides you the opportunity to pursue your interests: sports, music, science,
etc.
e.
An education
helps you become a well-rounded, intelligent person.
f.
An education
provides you with the knowledge and skills that will help you function in our
society. Responsible people learn to use that knowledge/skill/talent to further
themselves in life.
g.
In school, you
learn how to:
-
Get along with
others.
-
Communicate with
others.
-
Work with others
(citizenship, sense of community, etc).
h.
An education
will make you feel better about yourself because you have reached an important
and worthwhile goal.
i.
Learning is
fun/challenging/rewarding.
j.
You are less
likely to engage in inappropriate behavior when you are actively pursuing a
degree.
3.
Setting and Achieving Goals
“Setting
a goal is not the main thing. It is deciding how you will go about achieving it
and staying with that plan.”
--- Tom Landry
a.
Reaching goals
– Time management
The key to reaching your goals is through making time
management a habit. The following are important steps in the process:
-
Make a list of
tasks to do.
-
Prioritize your
tasks.
-
Adopt realistic
goals for each task.
-
Break each task
down into smaller steps.
-
Develop a
schedule for completing each step.
-
Begin working on
your tasks, small steps at a time.
-
Record your
progress (keep a log).
-
Reward yourself.
b.
Goals:
-
You need goals
to help you stay motivated on a daily basis.
-
You have to set
both short- and long-term goals.
-
You have more
control over reaching those goals that are shorter in time.
-
The more
successful you are at setting and meeting small goals, the greater your chances
of success become at meeting long-term goals.
-
Goals must be
measurable when making a behavioral change.
-
Goals must be
realistic, you have to recognize your abilities and opportunities.
-
Goals help you
accept yourself, believe in yourself, focus on the positive, become responsible,
develop self-control and discipline, treat setbacks as temporary, and avoid
excuses.
c.
Mini goals:
Small steps towards your short- and long-term goals:
d.
Short-term
goals:
A short-term goal is a goal that can be reached in a few
months.
e.
Long-term goals:
A long-term goal is a goal that can be reached over time. It
requires a lot of small steps and extensive planning.
f.
Self-talk:
REPLACE
WITH
‘I blew it.’
‘Next time I’ll get it right.’
‘I’m so fat.’
‘I’ll feel and look better soon.’
‘I’ll never get it.’
‘I have the ability to improve my performance.’
‘I’m so stupid.’
‘I can and will learn this.’
‘What’s the use.’
‘If I can dream it, I can achieve it.’
‘I just know I’ll screw it up.’
‘I’ll learn from my mistakes and will be able to do it.’
‘They won’t like me.’
‘I’ll enjoy being with them.’
‘I just don’t have what it takes.’
‘I’m capable.’
‘I’m such a slob.’
‘I enjoy looking my best.’
‘I hate the way I look.’
‘I like myself.’
‘I hate doing this.’
‘I’ll do my best.’
4.
Handling Peer Pressure
“You don't have to buy from anyone. You don't have to work at any particular job. You don't have to participate in any given relationship. You can choose.”
--- Harry Browne
a.
What is peer
pressure?
Peer pressure is any situation where peers are trying to
influence you on how you think or act.
b.
Positive peer
pressure:
-
Participate in
school activities, sports, etc.
-
Set and achieve
goals.
-
Get good grades.
-
Keep your body
healthy/drug-free.
c.
Negative peer
pressure:
-
Use alcohol or
other drugs.
-
Skip school and
classes.
-
Have sex before
you are ready.
-
Shoplift or
vandalize property.
-
Disobey your
parents.
d.
How do you
handle peer pressure? Learn to be your own best friend.
-
You need to
understand who you are, what your values are, and what right from wrong is.
-
You need to know
how to make your own decisions: what is right for you?
-
You need to tell
others your decision and stick with it with confidence.
-
You need to
recognize what to do in different situations.
-
You need to
learn how to say NO.
-
You need to
think about the consequences: can you get in trouble?
e.
High self-esteem
can help you resist peer pressure:
-
Accept your own
self-worth - strengths and weaknesses.
-
Be accountable
for yourself – make your own decisions.
-
Act responsibly
towards others - respect yourself and others.
-
Trust and
believe in yourself.
f.
Low self-esteem
is:
-
Having a lack of
confidence.
-
Being unable to
accept yourself.
-
Not respecting
or disliking yourself.
-
Letting others
make decisions for you.
g.
How to develop
higher self-esteem:
-
Examine yourself
and your values - know what is important to you.
-
Make time for
yourself - reflect on your thoughts and feelings every day.
-
Set realistic
goals - what do you want to accomplish today/tomorrow/this week?
-
Take pride in
yourself - praise yourself for your accomplishments.
h.
What happens
after you make a decision? What happens when you say NO to peer pressure?
You
will:
-
Feel good about
yourself because you were in charge.
-
Gain other
people’s respect because you were your own person.
-
Improve your
relationship with your parents.
-
Stay out of
trouble and help keep others out of it too!
5.
Being the Best that You Can Be
“Most
look up and admire the stars. A champion climbs a mountain and grabs one.”
--- H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
a.
It is fun to be
a winner but it is more important to be a good loser.
b.
Choose the right
role models for you or find an adult role model who is in your life.
c.
Success is
something you need to work at every day.
d.
Continuously
strive for achievement and set realistic goals.
e.
Take schoolwork
seriously: an education is important as it can provide you with the
opportunities you might not otherwise have.
f.
Take pride in
doing well academically as well as in other good activities.
g.
Discover your
interests and talents and develop them.
h.
Take pleasure in
being successful at something.
i.
Avoid alcohol
and drugs as they lower your potential to perform at the best of your ability.
j.
Learn how to
have a sense of humor about yourself and your life.
k.
No one escapes
problems - learn from your mistakes and move on.
l.
Be popular for
who you are and not for what you do.
m.
Learn to be an
independent and responsible individual.
n.
Choose friends
who are well balanced, happy, and fun to be with and accept you for who you are.
o.
Take pride in
yourself, like yourself and accept yourself for who you are.
p.
Understand that
success and failure are both part of life.
q.
Make good
choices, stand up for what you believe in, and always have a positive attitude.
r.
Be accepting of
others, do something for your community and volunteer your time.
s.
Exercise, eat
right, and work at being healthy.
t.
Do the best you
can at whatever you choose to do.
u.
Learn to be a
good leader or a good follower (team member).
v.
It is not always
what happens to you, rather, how you handle it.
6.
Character Counts - The Six
Pillars of Character
“Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation. Your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”
--- John Wooden
a.
Trustworthiness:
-
Be honest - do
not deceive.
-
Be loyal.
-
Be reliable –
do what you say you will do.
-
Have the courage
to do the right thing.
-
Build a good
reputation.
b.
Respect:
-
Treat others
with respect – Golden Rule.
-
Be tolerant of
differences.
-
Use good
manners, avoid bad language.
-
Be considerate
of other people’s feelings.
-
Deal peacefully
with anger/disagreements.
c.
Fairness:
-
Play by the
rules.
-
Take turns and
share.
-
Be open-minded -
listen to others.
-
Do not take
advantage of others.
-
Do not blame
others carelessly.
d.
Caring:
-
Be kind.
-
Help people in
need.
-
Be compassionate
and show it.
-
Express
gratitude.
-
Forgive others.
e.
Responsibility:
-
Do what you are
supposed to do.
-
Persevere - keep
trying.
-
Always do your
best.
-
Use self-control
– be self-disciplined.
-
Think before you
act.
-
Be accountable
for all your choices.
f.
Citizenship:
-
Make your
environment better.
-
Cooperate.
-
Stay informed.
-
Be a good
neighbor.
-
Obey laws and
rules.
- Respect authority.
THE BOTTOM LINE
FACE
IT, nobody owes you a living…
What you achieve, or fail to achieve in your lifetime,
Is directly related to what you do or fail to do.
No one chooses his parents or his childhood,
But you can choose your own direction.
Everyone has problems and obstacles to overcome,
But, that too, is relative to each and every individual.
NOTHING IS CARVED IN STONE!
You can change anything in your life
If you want to change it badly enough.
Excuses are only for losers!
Those
who take responsibility for their actions,
Are the real winners in life.
Winners meet life challenges head on
Knowing there are no guarantees, and give it all they've got
And never think it's too late or too early to begin.
Time plays no favorites,
And will pass whether you act or not.
Take control of your LIFE,
Dare to Dream and take risks...
Compete!
If you aren't willing to work for your goals,
Don't
expect others to.
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!"
~
Anonymous
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