Silent Strength Kindness

Doug offers 2 types of Silent Strength Kindness Presentations:
1.) KINDNESS ASSEMBLY FOR STUDENTS (Youth Groups): This is a 60 minute Presentation (for grades 3 - 12) that uses real life stories and experiences that display the powerful impact that both our positive and negative experiences can have on others (and on ourselves). Doug's "true-life" stories and examples are given from a student's perspective. This (along with his energy) makes it an extremely engaging experience for students of all ages. The Presentation's theme is centered around the Silent Strength Pledge that was developed in honor of Doug's younger brother, Chris, who was profoundly mentally handicapped from birth. Though he was never able to walk or talk, Chris was known for one thing... sitting and snuggling with anyone who would simply sit and talk with him - no matter who they were and no judging - just unconditional love. The Silent Strength Pledge (in honor of the life that Chris led), states: "Today, my positive actions will speak louder than all of my words." The Presentation concludes with a short video as well as with a "digital kindness display" that shows students how they can use a digital "Kindness Platform" to help encourage and uplift each other on a daily basis.

2.) KINDNESS KEYNOTE PRESENTATION FOR EDUCATORS (Youth Leaders of any industry): This Presentation can run in varying lengths of time based upon the needs of the event (Back to School Programs, Conferences, Banquets, Professional Development, In-Service, Workshops). This Presentation runs a minimum of 60 minutes in length (though it can be extended to 90 minutes or 2 hours upon request.) Mixing in visual displays with his Presentation, Doug will praise your Educators and Youth Leaders for all that they do on a daily basis, will offer evidence backed research that shows the powerful impact that Teachers and Leaders of "Kindness" can have on children of all ages, will offer "true-life" stories that display the positive life-changing effects that adults can have on every child's life, and will offer a digital "Kindness Platform" that they can use with their children to help encourage and uplift one another on a daily basis.

Doug is a professional motivational speaker, author, and co-developer of the web based “You Uplift” Kindness Software whose Silent Strength Kindness services have been shared with thousands of students and teachers nationwide since 2012.

A former Rhodes Scholar nominee, Doug earned All-American honors in football and Academic All-American honors in baseball during his senior year at Emory & Henry College (VA) where he graduated with a double major in History/Social Sciences and Education in 1990, as Doug has a combined 25 years of teaching and coaching experience at the Elementary, Middle, High School, and Collegiate levels.

Doug’s passion to spread Kindness stems from the relationship that he had with his younger brother Chris. In 41 years, Chris Reavis, profoundly brain damaged since birth, never uttered a single negative word about anyone, never hurt a single soul with any of his actions, and never asked for a single thing for himself, while all the time showing love to anyone who would simply sit and talk with him – no matter who they were (and without judging them) – just unconditional love.

Doug created the Silent Strength Pledge (in honor of the life that Chris lived), as this pledge is the backbone behind Doug’s School Kindness Assemblies for Students, Education Keynote Presentations for Teachers, and his “You Uplift” Kindness Software for school systems.

Doug has been married to his college sweetheart, Denita for 29 years. Their son, David is a BIT graduate of Virginia Tech and their daughter Ginny is a Fine Arts graduate of Radford University. Doug and Denita reside in the little town of Fancy Gap, VA located in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.
Silent-Strength Pledge:
“Today my positive actions will speak louder than all of my words.”

Doug shows a short video upon the end of his Presentation, so his technical needs would include a Projector and a Screen or wall to use to display the video/audio for everyone to see and hear. He has this video on the desktop of his laptop, as most schools and organizations will simply plug his laptop into their projector.
Doug also asks that the event planner provide a microphone of their choice (hand held, stand, wireless) based upon the type of venue and upon the preference of the event planner.