On Monday, October 30th, Keith Wilford came to speak to the Deerfield community, addressing the entire school at sit-down, meeting with athletic teams and even talking one-on-one with individual students. Wilford is an accomplished athlete, educator and motivational speaker who has visited hundreds of schools ranging from elementary schools all the way up to colleges and universities. At these visits, Keith shares his story of hardship and adversity, and how he was able to overcome and find his true self.
The specific message that Wilford shared with students was to focus on personal values. He stated, that in order to be successful, we need to invest in ourselves and live by our own value system. If we can stay true to our values, we will be able to accomplish our goals. Wilford also emphasized that it is character, not skill that drives us internally and helps us perform.
In an environment like Deerfield, Wilford encouraged students to remember to not get caught up in what others are doing, but to focus on being your best self.
In the afternoon, Wilford spoke to Deerfield athletic teams in the Garonzik auditorium. He first started off by showing a powerful video clip on The California School for the Deaf’s Football team. Next, he engaged the students through interactive games and stimulated group conversations about what sports means to you and what values you live by. Wilford finished off his presentation by fielding questions from the audience and sharing some tips on how he sticks to his value system.
The athletics department wants to extend a big thank you to Keith for taking the time to visit campus and speak to our students!
To learn more about Keith Wilford’s story, visit his website.