On March 4th, Oratory welcomed Brandon Lee White, a motivational speaker whose main goal is to encourage people to build a better life. The mentality he always follows is “Own it,” meaning that people should take ownership of their own lives and develop good relationships and careers to live a better life. He told us his own story of going on the show, Wheel of Fortune. It started when he suggested it to his wife, who didn’t think it was possible for them. White still decided to submit an application, knowing that he shouldn’t let uncertainty hold him back, and soon received a message asking them to try out. His wife still doubted they would make it, but White held on to his belief that they had a chance, and they went to the tryout. A while later, they received another message, announcing that they were selected for the show. Despite the doubt and the seemingly small probability, they found themselves now on one of the largest and most popular game shows in the U.S. Soon, they ended up as the winners of the show, winning money and a trip to Disney, something that he and his family enjoyed greatly. White talked about his journey and what had brought him there in the first place. He told everybody about how instead of just waiting for something good to happen, they needed to build something good that would lead them to a better life. Something such as submitting an application like Brandon’s might seem like a waste of time, but actions like that can be a start to improvement. He told all the students that no matter what held them back or discouraged them, they should still make the move and do what would improve themselves.
Afterward, the student council stayed behind for an interesting workshop with the speaker. He started by telling all the students to send a text to a friend or family member, thanking them and telling them why they were grateful for them, a great way to take action on something that people might overlook. Next, he taught us the ways to settle a debate and how people could be aggressive and hostile or calm and logical, pitting two students against each other in an entertaining display. Finally, he talked about the different traits people had when working or socializing, and had the students group together and discuss how the traits affected them and the ways to improve and adapt. His visit was a very memorable experience and taught the students a ton about communication and building up their lives in a positive way.
