Awhile ago, I did an article explaining and asking people to use their charisma for good. If you can use it to help people, please do it. People want to learn and grow. Sometimes they need a spark to show them the right direction......
I do a Skype/Hangouts/FaceTime video career and tech chat program with my students. I bring in top talent from different careers for my inner city kids, so the students can interview them and discover potential career paths and what type of technology is needed. I turned to one of the brightest talents in television news...David Muir of ABC Nightly News.......
Since I was very young, my parents and I would watch the news which had it's superstars: Everyone wanted to join the venerated ranks of Cronkite, Brokaw, and Jennings. They were the news law. You could believe what they said. They were no-nonsense.
My family would watch the local and national news during dinner. We would talk about the current stories and our daily events over our steak, mashed potatoes, and vegetables. It was a necessary highlight of our day: News and gnosh!
So my standards are high for the news. As I have gotten older, I haven't had much time to watch television. I have to DVR everything. I never thought about using the DVR for the news until..
I saw David Muir.
Let's see how David stacks up in the newscaster superstar department: Handsome(Absolutely), Intelligent (Check), Commanding Voice and Poise (Check), but what makes him unique........WARMTH!You see, at first I thought: He seems a bit young to be on the news, but he looks at least 10 years younger than his real age! So, I gave him a chance. He has the look, but did he have the substance?
Then, after awhile, I realized what it was that drew me in: the warmth, the sincerity. He doesn't seem pretentious on television or in person. He started his career "out and about" - on the scene reporting. So, he definitely also has "street" credibility.
His warmth fills the screen. He seems like someone that you've known for a long time and trust. He's someone you'd like to know in real life. This is important because we live in difficult times and the news is where we go to find out what's happening and maybe, find hope. When he spoke with my students on Skype and in person, he showed that his compassion was real. He really seemed to listen to the students and they were so thrilled and appreciative of what he was teaching and showing them.
The biggest reason I wanted my students to meet him was because David had a vision for his life ever since he was a little boy. He knew that he wanted to be a newscaster. He had such strength and conviction in his beliefs that he wrote to the local news station and said that he wanted a job in the news. At the age of 13, he began working as an intern and later began working at the station. Many moves upward and beyond and he is the national news anchor for ABC News.
I wanted my students to see what focus and determination looks like and what can happen if you believe and work hard for it. I want them to understand that it is never too early to think about the path you need to take to achieve your goals. The interview went better than we expected because David allowed us to come the studio and watch a taping. Then he spoke with the students again and let them and their parents take a picture with him.
It was such a special experience all around! This will be an experience that the students will never forget. This story is something amazing that they will be able to tell for years ( and maybe even use on a college application!). This experience may have even changed their lives
You know what else? Sometimes when he smiles during the newscast, I see that little boy who really wanted to work in the television news business.
Thank you, David! Let's keep in touch! You know how to contact me! :-)
Regards,
Lori A. Calbert
Blog Creator
P.S. - If you are interested in participating in this program, please email me at loricalbertforchange@gmail.com.
