America’s schools are in peril and it just might take the work of an inspirational speaker to lift kids’ spirits. Last year, Andreas Schleicher, a senior education official at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, said that only 7 in 10 American students get a high school diploma. Of the 34 O.E.C.D. countries, only 4 (New Zealand, Spain, Turkey and Mexico) now have lower high school completion rates than America.

The problem lies not only with school curriculum and underperforming teachers, but also with broken families that raise their children in a culture that undervalues education. Students must first see the benefits of graduating before they can be expected to put the extra effort in. At the end of the day, kids wind up leaving school over-entertained and distracted, school executives say.

By contrast, the top performing schools include Finland, South Korea and Poland. Finland is succeeding due to its excellent teacher recruiting, training and support system. South Korea places great emphasis on education culturally and, as a result, has a 96 percent graduation rate. Poland improved the literacy skills of 15-year-old boys an entire grade level.

Part of the solution is that America needs to create central control over standards and curriculum, but give local schools charter-like autonomous power. In the meantime, while we wait for massive school restructuring and renewed family values to take hold, an inspirational speaker can fill the void and impact the lives of millions. An inspirational speaker may motivate kids to stay in school, say no to drugs, pursue the path to leadership, go to college, or prepare for post-graduation life.

The words of an inspirational speaker can motivate people to succeed in every aspect of life – whether it’s in choosing a career, starting a new relationship, adopting healthy lifestyle habits, achieving financial prosperity, coping with stress, or developing a more positive attitude. Unfortunately, school curriculums do not have the time to address these important life issues during the school year, but spending a few hours of the afternoon covering these vital topics can provide tremendous benefits for the student body.

Given the complex pressures students face these days, it might be a good idea to call an inspirational speaker who can tackle issues like bullying or grief counseling for students who die in car crashes, shootings, or suicides. All of these situations make learning in school nearly impossible. However, the inspirational speaker can fill these saddened hearts with hope and perhaps even get the students to chuckle. Life is much too short to be saddled with depression, anxiety and grief.

Call an inspirational speaker like Sam Glenn today!

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