We love working with young people and the results speak for themselves...

I have worked with Laurie five times during my career. In each case I have seen her change participants’ lives through her moving and thought-provoking messages. Laurie certainly speaks to their hearts! She reinforces how we need to work with one another, to take care of each other, and to build each other up through positive interactions. Laurie’s energy is contagious and participants follow her lead without even knowing they have become fully engaged. I can’t wait until the next time we work together!

Laurie Stewart’s “Igniting Our Passion To Serve” presentation was exactly what our staff needed. As an educational company servicing at-risk students, our teachers, success coaches, and advocates deal with difficult situations on a daily basis. Our success stories are precious, but few and far between. Laurie’s positivity, passion, energy, and faith energized our staff to improve our school’s culture. Her lessons on combating stress, supporting each other, and focusing on our purpose of serving our students inspired us all. L.A. Stewart Presentations left a lasting impact on our staff and we look forward to having Laurie back in the future to speak at our Alternative Education Centers.

Laurie Stewart is amazing! Students and community members across our district have reached out to me to talk about the impact her work has had on their lives. She approached climate and culture issues from a strength based perspective. Our students have been supported and forever changed by her work at Bronson Community Schools.

If you’re committed to bringing about positive change in your school’s climate, in my opinion, there is no one better than L.A. Stewart Presentations…. Laurie Stewart helps you set up a system that will empower your students to become effective agents for change in your school and community. The program’s result is always the same — a heart-felt desire on the part of the students to create an atmosphere where each student is cared about and respected.

What an awesome experience! I’ve been in education for more than 20 years and I have not seen a more positive program. Laurie worked with our students from the start to organize this event on a very tight schedule. Her willingness to collaborate with our students prior to the assembly ensured a focus on real student needs and, as a result, tremendous student engagement! This was, however, much more than an assembly as Laurie preplanned with students and staff and also provided classroom extension activities that allowed our staff to continue the program after the assembly was complete.

We had 700 students completely engaged for more than three hours! They listened, they got involved and they heard the positive message about caring for each other. Before the program, the staff expressed concern about having 700 students in the gym for three hours. After the program, the staff and students all said we could have stayed all day! Our students and staff are now excited about Making it Cool to be Kind at CPHS and are already planning to continue the effort next year. Thank you for sharing your positive message and expertise with our community!

I would recommend Laurie in general as a speaker and this specific program without hesitation to anyone who is interested in promoting or creating a positive culture in their organization. The message that Laurie very effectively delivered to our students and staff has resulted in a stronger feel of community and a sense that we are all responsible for each other. We achieved everything that we hoped to achieve and more.

It was a privilege to have Laurie work with our students on multiple occasions. She used the feedback from the students and staff to create an assembly and program that was unique to our school.  During the assembly, Laurie shared her passion, energy, and compassion with our students that created a powerful event. The MIC2BK program is still going strong in our school and is driven by our students on a daily basis.

I have heard Laurie speak many times. She is truly amazing! In thirty years in education I have never heard a speaker who could hold the attention of high school students for three hours and then have those students beg for more — every single time! She has the unique ability to connect with students in such a way that motivates them into action — making positive changes to show respect and dignity to each other. Her three step approach includes a pre-presentation meeting and a post-presentation workshop with students to develop ownership in the program and build leadership to continue reminding everyone after the presentation of the importance of treating others with respect Students do not forget her message. In fact, I received the recommendation to bring her to our school from a student who had listened to her speak somewhere else! If you need a recommendation before bringing Laurie to your school, please feel free to contact me.

It has been a blessing to have Laurie Stewart interact with our students on four different occasions. I have been in education for over 40 years and Laurie is truly the best speaker we have ever witnessed. Her depth of spirit, compassionate understanding and dedication to young people is a special gift to all who are part of her audience. She has an uncanny ability to reach beyond the surface and help students take a very close look at who they are and where their journey is taking them. Her presentation will challenge them, “shake them up” and then gently set them down again. We cherish our relationship with Laurie and are deeply touched by her ministry to young people everywhere. Laurie will always be welcomed at Notre Dame Academy!

Our Michigan Rotary District 6290 Life Leadership Conference has very successfully worked with Laurie for over 25 years to help us annually prepare 140+ student leaders to go out and serve and make a big difference in the world. She has the skills to communicate very effectively her messages of respect for yourself and others that resonate so well with our youth leaders. She is our main keynote speaker who “brings it all to the table” for helping our conferees see their potential in the world of leadership. We are blessed, indeed, to be able to work with Laurie to positively impact our student audience and further our conference mission.

I strongly recommend professional speaker Laurie Stewart. I have worked with teenagers for over two decades in a high school setting. Every few years we bring in an expert or motivational speaker to talk to the staff and kids. I have seen many professional speakers over the years. None of them can hold a candle to Laurie Stewart. I’ve seen her take a gymnasium full of 1,200 kids and have their full attention for three hours. She has been to our school three or four times in the last 20 years. We keep bringing her back because she is so effective and our kids love her. What sets her apart from other people is that she takes the time to get to know your school before she comes and stays in touch with staff and students well after her visit. Her small group follow-ups are tremendously popular. Any school would be remiss if they didn’t seriously consider bringing Laurie Stewart to help. Please feel free to contact me for further communication on Laurie’s strengths.

Laurie Stewart put the SWAG back in Central Montcalm. The atmosphere and attitude completely changed after she came in. I always knew a school’s culture could change, and I saw it happen right before my eyes. After seeing this, I know anything is possible.

Note: Kristi shared the above comment as Superintendent at Central Montcalm Public Schools in Stanton, Michigan. When she moved to St. Louis Schools, she invited us to bring our Making It Cool To Be Kind program there. Here’s what she had to say after that program:

You have done GREAT things for kids and for our district (both districts I have been in)!!

Your enthusiastic presentation on self-esteem and self-respect were so well received. I have also heard so many favorable comments from the community, our students, and staff noting your timely message and effective presentation skills.

Laurie has presented at Big Rapids High School multiple times and is always received exceptionally well. We continually get multiple requests, by students and staff, to have Laurie back at our school. It is obvious, based on comments and observations, that Laurie’s presentation has changed the lives of many and the climate of our building.
Because of the overwhelming response to Laurie at the high school, we recommended the district bring her in as the keynote speaker to kick-off the school year for all Big Rapids Public School employees. In Laurie’s presentation, “Igniting Your Professional Passion!” she was able to motivate and inspire our teachers and staff to begin the year with a positive attitude and a desire to try to reach each child.

…Laurie expressed the importance of the teachers and staff taking care of themselves and each other. She was instrumental in a great start to the school year for Big Rapids Public Schools. Administrators, teachers, and staff left Laurie’s session inspired and excited to begin the year and determined to try to make connections with all the students.

Laurie’s expertise in leadership, respect, school climate, human relations, and communication skills are cornerstones for an effective learning community. She is able to connect in a way that allows each individual to reflect on what he or she is doing and makes them want to do better. Laurie’s passion for working with students and educators is clear and unmatched by any other presenter.

The day of the conference, Laurie exceeded any expectations we could have had. Her ability to engage each student, respect each student, and honor the differences in each student had a group of 185 7^th – 12^th graders sharing, taking risks, celebrating themselves and others and motivated to go into their world as kinder, more respectful people. The impact Laurie made is still being felt among those who planned and those who attended the conference.  Students have recognized their ability to change the environment at home and at school through the simplicity of kindness.

As an adult leader I am particularly touched by Laurie’s ability to allow students to direct the course of her work. She listens to these young people, eager to hear their observations and wisdom and weaves her knowledge with their ideas. It is very obvious that Laurie thrives on her work with young people. Her skills as a facilitator have been keenly tuned and are evident at the end of the day when each young person stands in line to thank her for her presence.

Call it a phenomenon. That is exactly what it was. Something happened to the student body which made a great difference. It was public speaker, Laurie Stewart. For over three hours, Laurie held the undivided attention of students and faculty. The students even willingly gave up their lunch time to continue the assembly.

I highly recommend Laurie Stewart as a very positive motivator and thought- starter to recharge your staff and to enhance total team effort in a positive, challenged direction. Her material is adapted to the target needs of your market and she does effective research to cater to your group.

Racial tensions have been eliminated, conflicts among students and staff have been sharply reduced, and individual self-worth has been enhanced….
The message you brought to our school, as well as the character you consistently demonstrate, has infused our students with a renewed enthusiasm to create a better community…. We have had no other speaker and workshop leader who has had the impact that you have.
In our school, students have become inspired to embrace fundamental values such as concern for others, taking care of themselves, and being willing to show appreciation toward their teachers.
Laurie’s visits have resulted in immediate and long-lasting improvements in our school climate. After Laurie’s program, our school has been able to address issues with individual students that resulted in dramatic positive improvement which otherwise would not have occurred.

Thanks so much for another superb job! The student and teacher evaluations of your keynote are glowing and deservedly so. I am especially grateful for your graciousness in making yourself available to students after the opening session. Your warmth and concern for these young people is evident and means a great deal to them.

Laurie, you are the best and most impacting speaker I’ve ever heard. Your spirit amazed me!

Laurie Stewart’s student leadership training grade is a definite A+!!

We were astonished with the complete success of the program…. She receives my highest recommendation and the sound endorsement of the Saugatuck High School students and faculty.