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Secondary School Student Testimonials

Very Influential

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I would like to say first of all how grateful I am that you took time out of your busy schedule as our principal to book Dwayne Peace for our school, out of every assembly I have attended, I believe that this has affected everyone the most in a beneficial way. The assembly with the whole school was very influential and I feel that alone benefited everyone who attended because I myself know the mindset change that occurred the more he continued to speak. His real-life stories that he adapted to his information made everyone hear his words and wisdom with even more attention to the consequences. In line with how beneficial the assembly was, the small groups were life changing. Not only did the small groups change the way I looked at the students and staff of our school, but it also allowed me to see a whole new side to everyone in that room. I was shocked to hear about the life stories of those in my group and how much they deal with on a daily basis in their home life or even at school. At first, I was scared for the confidentiality, I am so grateful I was able to experience this session as it changed a lot of things in my life, and I cannot imagine the affect it would have on every student. I hope everyone will be able to get this chance by the end of the year and I would love to have Dwayne Peace at our school every year. Thanks.

Grade 11 Student, Northern Alberta Rural School – 2023

Small Group Session Was Very Good

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My experience with the Dwayne Peace presentation and small group session was very good. I think that this is an experience that everyone deserves to participate in. I was surprised at how much everyone in the small group opened up and trusted each other, considering the difference in grades and social groups. I definitely expanded my knowledge on how much the kids in this school are enduring on a day-to-day basis and I am more aware of the kindness that I need to show to others. The kids that were laughing and goofing off at the beginning of the session slowly began to switch gears and become attentive listeners in the process. Most of the kids felt so safe that they shared personal details about their life and found comfort being in the presence of their peers. I would like to see Dwayne Peace come back to this school and more schools in this district. I definitely recommend it.  Thank you.

Grade 10 Student, Northern Alberta Rural School – 2023

I can’t express my gratitude enough. 

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Dwayne, thank you so much for taking time to come to our school.  I really think you had a very positive and strong impact on many of us but mostly me.  I got to see and hear people in a whole new way.  I can’t express my gratitude enough.  When you told me you thought I was a leader it made my day and rocked my world.  The way you said it made me actually believe it like I never have before.  I could tell you meant it and that meant more to me than you can ever imagine.  You are so amazing at what you do and you’re such a caring person.  I hope we can meet again in the future.  Keep doing what you do!

Grade 8 female – unsolicited – 2024

I Really Needed That

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Hi Dwayne!
I am so sorry it took me so long to email you! I’ve been super busy lately. I just really wanted to say thank you for everything! You said at our school presentation that you wanted to make us think, and you really made me think a lot. I’ve been trying to make a few thumb switches in my life, and it’s been going really well so far (for example, I’ve stopped teasing my older sister for being shorter than me. She says it never bugged her, but I just feel like I’m being a better sister than I was before, and I don’t think I ever would have realized how powerful of an impact my words might have had if I hadn’t met you.)
I’ve also been trying to give more complements! Yesterday, there was a kid in my school wearing an AWESOME Minion toque, and normally I would have been too shy to tell him and just say to my friends who were there at the time “omg, look at his Minion toque!” But I told him I loved it as I was passing by, and he grinned really big, which kind of made my day 🙂
I also just really wanted to say thank you for getting me in that small group session! I feel like I really needed that. It took a long time for me to fully process everything I said. Also, I have this thing that I feel like males deal with a lot where I find that I can’t show any weakness at all or else… (I don’t even know what the “or else” is, all my brain tells me is that it’s bad) maybe it’s that I think people will judge me, maybe it’s that I think people will have less trust in me, I really don’t know, but since I’ve said those things, nothing happened. Which is good, because it proves to me that I can express the feelings that I need to because good people won’t think negatively of me because of it.
Sorry, this is a really long email haha! I just really wanted to thank you and tell you how much you’ve positively impacted my life! You said that we could describe the sessions as a gift, but in reality, you are the gift.  Also, I don’t know if the principal emailed you or not (and I’m sorry if I get some details of the story wrong), but apparently about a week or two ago, the grade 9 girls volleyball team was at a tournament where they were staying at a hotel. They were supposed to be in bed, lights out by 11. The principal came by around 10:30, and no one was in their rooms, but he kind of shrugged it off and came back at 11:30, when he found all the girls in one room, practically begging if they could stay up for another hour. Guess what they were doing? They made their own little Dwayne Peace sharing circle together. He let them stay up as late as they needed to finish and apparently they didn’t go to bed until like 1 in the morning I think. My heart melted when the principal told us that story, and I figured you would want to hear it if you haven’t already 🙂

Anyways, sorry for the really long email, but thank you again for everything!
Thank you again!!

Grade 12 female student – unsolicited – 2023

A Lot Of Us Needed To Hear Your Message

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I want to take a few minutes to thank you for a few things. Firstly, I want to thank you for coming to our school and sharing many serious things. I think a lot of us needed to hear your message. All of us knew it was a long presentation but all of us loved your presentation. I loved how long it was because you not only shared a fact about something, but you took it a step further and explained it so well.
Secondly, I want to thank you for things you touched on. For me personally, the suicide part you touched on, I loved it because of the story I shared in the small group session. I also loved that you touched on vaping, because I don’t vape, and never have, but I know so many people that do, and I think it touched every single student in the gym that do vape. Body image was also a huge topic for me, as I have struggles with it and my older sister has struggles with it too.
Lastly, I am truly thankful I got the opportunity to be in your small group session. There was so many things that students said that really spoke to me. I also like to hear other students’ stories because personally I did judge some of them without knowing who they were. I also loved that I could share my story with everyone as well. It was life changing by you.
Dwayne, I want to give you an encouraging message. DO NOT STOP what you are doing, because I was truly spoken to by you, and if you can change my life and our school, then you can change anyone’s life. DON’T QUIT!!!

Grade 9 female student – unsolicited – 2023

A Very Eye Opening Experience

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I just wanted to thank you for everything you’ve done this week. I’m lucky enough that I also got to go to one of the small group sessions. I think it was a very eye-opening experience for the whole class and it was very beneficial. I think we all see each other differently and realize that everyone has crap they deal with. So, thank you so much for coming to our school and I hope that we get to have you come back in future years. Good luck with everything, I know you’ll help so many others as you’ve helped our school.

Grade 9 female student – unsolicited – 2023

I have goals, I have a future, most importantly I have confidence. I’m not afraid anymore.

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You came to my school sometime in April this year. I had recently gotten out of the hospital after a failed suicide attempt, and then a relapse of self harm. When I met you I was a complete mess and that’s an understatement. I found out I was bipolar. I struggled with my road to recovery. The worst was the panic and anxiety attacks, I would hit myself, pull my hair out and scream that I wanted to die.

Looking at me now you wouldn’t think I was the same person. It was February 28th 2016 when I tried to kill myself, it is now August 24th 2016. That’s almost 6 months. I have goals, I have a future, most importantly I have confidence. I`m not afraid anymore.

When I first heard you were speaking at my school I thought “oh great another person hear to preach at me about how I’m worth it, how much I’m loved…. blah blah blah” I`m sorry to say but at first I was not interested at all. But when I met you, I knew something different was going to happen. Throughout your presentation you talked about drinking, drugs, mental illness and self harm. All of these things applied to me (notice I used past tense)  I did drink , smoke pot and lets just say I wasn’t the most stable in the mental department. This all changed when I moved into my grandparents house. You also talked about self worth, which again related to me. I wasn’t confident, I constantly wanted to impress others, I wanted to be skinny so guys would pay attention to me, I wanted to be smart so my parents would love me.

You’re presentation set off a spark, I started working harder. Not for the people around me, friends, family, boys, no I was doing it for me. Because finally I discovered my voice, no longer would I let people walk all over me, let my parents judge me and criticize me, or let boys decide my worth on a 1-10 scale. I learned how to stick up for myself and what I believe in, so when people make jokes about mental illness, self harm, the handicapable….I no longer hide with nervous laughter. I stick up for those who don’t have a voice or haven’t found there’s yet.

I believe in myself, I can do anything I put my mind to. My plans for the future change often, but I have found a few that might become a reality.

  • go to Vancouver acting school, school creative, study as an actor, give it a year. if nothing works out I will go to cold lake and train in the military from there on become a doctor.
  • study in criminal behavior and become a police officer
  • become a journalist and work as a professional speaker
  • become a counsellor and possibly a psychiatrist

My dreams may be mediocre or average but I don’t care because each one has something I`m passionate about involved. This is my story and I thought since you are one of the most inspirational people I have ever had the pleasure of talking to. You helped me and believed in me when even I didn’t.

After your Presentation, when everyone was gone. I was crying, when I came up to you, you hugged me and told me to stay strong and never give up. Today I live by those words.

I have gotten my life under control. my anxiety is still there of course, and so is my bipolar…..but now I don’t let it control me or the decisions I make.

Thank you so much Mr. peace,
I’ll keep in touch

Sincerely,
The girl who was inspired (Grade 11)

Grade 12 Student

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Day you spoke: 11/24/15
Day my life changed: 11/25/15

Thank you for coming to the school and speaking.  Thank you as well, for the compliment – I will never forget it nor the fact that everyone has a story.  When you put the Kleenex box down, my heart started pounding.  I knew I had to go first.  I didn’t know I had gotten up until I was out of my seat.  You see, I’m a Christian so I believe it was God telling me that I needed to take the lead this time.

Smile, Laugh, Believe
You’re Trustworthy! You’re Helpful! You’re Amazing! You’re Outstanding!
“Never Give Up On A Dream”

You have helped me open my eyes and heart to people more than I have before.  I never knew what I wanted to do next year when I’m out of school but you have inspired me beyond belief to speak to people and help.  I want to make a change.  What happened in the group session opened doors up in my heart and life.  So, thank you so very much.  I’m so thankful to have met you.

Student

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The Dwayne Peace presentation was extremely powerful. In the small group sessions, students were given an opportunity to have a voice. They discussed challenges that they were currently facing in life and everyone supported one another. This brought students closer together and gave students a sense of belonging and trust within the small group, which has extended through out the entire school.

Grade 12 Female Student

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I don’t know if you remember me much but I go to the school that you were at yesterday. You haven’t really spoke to me since the last time you were at my school when you did the suicide and eating disorders. Yesterday I was going to stay after the presentation of alcohol and drugs presentation just to tell you that time when I spoke to you in grade 8 about 4 years ago. I was 15. But anyways that day you changed my life. I was about to leave everything, my life, my family, my friends. Until I talked to you. You helped me a lot and I didn’t even tell you my whole story. I just wanted to let you know that you were the reason I stayed. The reason I am still here. I am now 17 and still battling depression but I thank you so much. You are a life changer. Thank you again.

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