I need your feedback on this one!? What would you have said.......Here's what happened.
The title line is what I heard as I asked the rental car agent "where's a garbage can?" upon my return to the airport yesterday in Myrtle Beach, SC. In my hand I merely had a coffee cup and a handful of paper maps, other than that the car was spotless.
"Here, I'll take it" he said as he took it from my hands. "We have people that clean the cars. If you do, they will be out of a job." He took it and threw in back into the car.
Frankly, I was a little surprised by that and wasn't quick enough to respond, but as I walked away I had two options. I could have said "Thank you for sharing. I don't want your car cleaner to lose their job." OR, I could have said "You know what, why don't I simply drop it in a trash can and you can take a $1.00 of my car rental fee."
What would you have done? What do you think I said.....Post a quick response and let me know your thoughts!
Monday, May 26, 2008
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Ohio State University Keynote speaker / K-12 Baseball Day
WOW, is all I can say. Put 3000 of the best 6th graders in Central Ohio into the Schottenstein Center and WOW! This was the first I had been asked to be the Motivational Entertainer /Keynote for a group of middle school students and...WOW! They were amazing! We combined the message of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) with the Science of Magic to create a truly unique presentation that left them guessing while encouraging them to ‘figure out the magic' just as we are challenged to figure out science - as their must be answer. Special thank you's to all the Central Ohio 6th graders, COSI, the Ohio State Athletic Department, John Page - Page Tech Ltd and of course Nancy and Dave from Ohio State. Look forward to seeing you next year.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Magic is just science....did you know that?
It's funny how things come along and how they effect you. Recently two such events came up, the first for Columbus City Schools and the second for a school district on a suburb.
The first was attended by just over 3000 enthusiastic 6th graders just a few days ago. I was tasked to engage these 3000 kids into a message on their benefits of STEM (That would be Science, Technology, Engineering and Math for those of us who have not been around the educational market as of late). I setout to learn and I really enjoyed the process. With the help of Shawn Harper (ex NFL player who is now an inspirational speaker for schools and church groups) and the great team of Jen Snively's at COSI (one the coolest hands-on science museums in the world!) I started plugging some pieces of this relatively short program together. The result, was one of the most fun programs I've had the opportunity of presenting.
Did YOU know that magic is just like science? I didn't. But the more I read and investigated the greater the connection became clear. Science is solving a mystery and finding out why something happens, what something is or how something happens. When you watch magic, doesn't your brain go into the "how can that happen" mode? How is that possible? But, unlike science class, your brain also rests on the fact that "of course he can do it, Jon Petz is a magician."
I had the chance to share with these impressionable kids that I was just like them, that the illusions and tricks they had just seen on stage were through no special powers but through engineering, physics and calculations. I challenged them to NOT believe what they saw on stage, but to discuss it on the bus, back in the classroom, with their teachers etc. But to FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY SAW. Yes, I challenged them to find the secret to my magic - and I felt GREAT about it. I truly hope they were in complex discussions of how the money ended up inside the lemon.....it's NOT possible.....but it happened.....now HOW did it happen? I hope some of them tried the levitation (through physics) and even the magic number we demonstrated on stage (a basic algebraic equation).
During my research for the event I had learned from them that if you asked Columbus City School 6th graders 'IF' they plan to attend college, over 90% of them will raise their hands in agreement. However, just two short years later when asked the same question they lose over 40% of those same hands that were raised just a short time ago. Why is this? What is happening during these critical years in middle school when these great kids lose the belief that THEY belong in college? Unfortunately, it's an answer that I don't have in it's entirety, nor does the school system. But at least the superintendent, Dr. Harris, along with the Ohio State University is doing something about it. I hope that my short message encouraged them to continue their study's, plans and dreams and allows them to Reach Higher!
I thank Dr. Harris, David Hoover, Nancy Nestor-Baker and the Athletic Department of the Ohio State University for allowing me to be the keynote speaker for such an amazing event. I was touched and enjoyed the experience.
The first was attended by just over 3000 enthusiastic 6th graders just a few days ago. I was tasked to engage these 3000 kids into a message on their benefits of STEM (That would be Science, Technology, Engineering and Math for those of us who have not been around the educational market as of late). I setout to learn and I really enjoyed the process. With the help of Shawn Harper (ex NFL player who is now an inspirational speaker for schools and church groups) and the great team of Jen Snively's at COSI (one the coolest hands-on science museums in the world!) I started plugging some pieces of this relatively short program together. The result, was one of the most fun programs I've had the opportunity of presenting.
Did YOU know that magic is just like science? I didn't. But the more I read and investigated the greater the connection became clear. Science is solving a mystery and finding out why something happens, what something is or how something happens. When you watch magic, doesn't your brain go into the "how can that happen" mode? How is that possible? But, unlike science class, your brain also rests on the fact that "of course he can do it, Jon Petz is a magician."
I had the chance to share with these impressionable kids that I was just like them, that the illusions and tricks they had just seen on stage were through no special powers but through engineering, physics and calculations. I challenged them to NOT believe what they saw on stage, but to discuss it on the bus, back in the classroom, with their teachers etc. But to FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY SAW. Yes, I challenged them to find the secret to my magic - and I felt GREAT about it. I truly hope they were in complex discussions of how the money ended up inside the lemon.....it's NOT possible.....but it happened.....now HOW did it happen? I hope some of them tried the levitation (through physics) and even the magic number we demonstrated on stage (a basic algebraic equation).
During my research for the event I had learned from them that if you asked Columbus City School 6th graders 'IF' they plan to attend college, over 90% of them will raise their hands in agreement. However, just two short years later when asked the same question they lose over 40% of those same hands that were raised just a short time ago. Why is this? What is happening during these critical years in middle school when these great kids lose the belief that THEY belong in college? Unfortunately, it's an answer that I don't have in it's entirety, nor does the school system. But at least the superintendent, Dr. Harris, along with the Ohio State University is doing something about it. I hope that my short message encouraged them to continue their study's, plans and dreams and allows them to Reach Higher!
I thank Dr. Harris, David Hoover, Nancy Nestor-Baker and the Athletic Department of the Ohio State University for allowing me to be the keynote speaker for such an amazing event. I was touched and enjoyed the experience.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
