Mind, Body and Spirit

This entertaining and educating presentation focuses on how I develop the Mind, the Body and the Spirit for success. I perform poetry from my books, and talk about my love of reading at a young age to develop the Mind. I then show how I used the power of the Mind to help develop my Body to the point I was able to compete on American Ninja Warrior (season 9 in Cleveland). Last, I talk about where I get inspiration to feed the Spirit and how all three are integral to success. Since I have books from grades K through 12, I can tailor this presentation to each grade. Program duration is based on grade level, with 30 minutes for the youngest grade levels, up to 50 minutes for everyone else. A typical day is three group presentations. No size limit. To read testimonials about previous visits, click here.

The Power of Poetry  

Length: 1 hour   Works Best With: Grade 3 and up   Curriculum Standard: ELA-Figurative Writing

In this hands-on workshop, figurative language and poetic devices will be the focus through fun exercises centered around each individual. Participants will learn to develop their own unique vocabulary to build on in the future. Due to the participatory nature, this workshop is limited to 30 participants. Also works great with ELA teachers and educators-in-training.

Becoming a Ninja: The Secret to My Success

Length: 1 hour   Works Best With: Middle and High School Students  Curriculum Standard: Business-Problem Solving

In this motivating workshop, participants will learn how to set a goal and achieve it. I begin by discussing American Ninja Warrior and the specific steps that helped me get on to the show. But don’t let the title fool you. Using a systematic approach, students will learn to identify their own goal and how to break it down into smaller pieces to achieve success. Size is limited to 30 students. 

Thanks to the power of technology you can bring me into your classroom with a Virtual Visit. But unlike an in-person visit, I can be more flexible to suit your needs. I’ve done poetry performances and Q&A sessions with individual classes and large groups but it isn’t limited to that. We can focus on a specific book for a specific event like 28 Days for Black History month, Rimshots and Hoop Kings for March Madness, or a variety of my books for Poetry month. It’s really up to you! A Virtual Visit is 45 minutes to 1 hour. 

Still not sure? Click the image to play the video.

Over the years I’ve done keynotes, participated in PARP nights and done multi-day residencies so feel free to request what you don’t see here by clicking “other” on the Visit Request Form. Let me know your request in the questions and comments box.