This was my first stop in the northeast and my first experience with a New England Boarding School. All I can say is that if my future speeches can go half as well as it did at Suffield, I will be a very happy man! Driving up an hour from New Haven where I stayed with a long time friend Greg Lipstein, there is no question my nerves were racing a bit. But as soon as I met Charlie Cahn, the headmaster at Suffield Academy, I just knew everything was going to go really well. After having lunch with some students Charlie walked wiht me to a nearby chapel where I would be giving my speech. Although a bit dautning at first, this type venue turned out to be amazing. Even though there were almost 500 students the seating arrangement made it out to be a very intimate setting, which only can help a speaker. As the students rolled I could not help but hold back my excitement. This was it – - game time!
As I concluded with my final words, all of a sudden the students at the Suffield Academy began to stand at their feet appluading. Never before in my life had I received a standing ovation. The feeling was beyond exhilaurating; it was in short beyond humbling. The students at the Suffield Academy validated me as speaker and only solidified my passion to continue speaking. It was after this engagement that I decided to take an additional year-off to try to spread my message of tolerance. Thank you so much all the students at the Suffield Academy.
A huge thanks goes out to Charlie Cahn for making this event happen!
