Having a guest speaker at our school is always a great experience for all the students at Oratory Prep. On October 24, 2023, Oratory Prep’s students all gathered in the Bain gym for a special guest speaker named Bobby Petrocelli. Bobby opened up talking about where he came from telling us that he is a former high school football coach, was a guidance counselor, and is currently a motivational speaker who goes to schools all across the country . He has visited thousands of schools and has been speaking for over 30 years. Bobby’s main part of his story is not allowing one moment to change your whole life, and told us the story about his wife and himself getting hit by a drunk driver, and his wife passing because of it. He had gone to bed one night with his wife in their bedroom. However, a drunk driver who was in a pickup truck crashed through his house. He was knocked to the dining room and got severely injured while his wife was killed. It was devastating for Bobby and taught him some important things about his life. After the accident, he spent many days in the hospital and had a funeral for his wife. While he was doing these though, hundreds of high schoolers he coached came to support him. This made Bobby realize that there were many people who cared about him and whom he mattered to. He came up with the saying,”You Matter,” which he always told the students at the thousands of schools he visited. Bobby also talked of forgiveness and its importance.

After the event was over, the student council stayed behind for a workshop with the speaker. He advised them about leadership, supporting, and doing good for the community. An experience influential to them and something they will remember. Bobby Petrocelli taught OP so much, and motivated them to do anything they put their minds too by telling each on of them they have a purpose.