What the Students say….
The following testimonies were taken after attending the “Exellerate” 1 day program held in Shepparton on October 2008.
Before I attended the program with Colin Lee l felt shy about meeting new people. I was made to feel comfortable & I met some nice teenagers that l could relate to. I now feel more confident & not as shy as l did before which has helped me in many of areas of my life.
(Anonymous, 13 years old)
My experience before l attended the Colin Lee program was that l wasn’t going anywhere in life. I hated school & my life was a suicidal wreck. After doing this program l have realized that there is WAY MORE to life. I am enjoying school & my grades have improved a lot. l am not a suicidal wreck now as l have realized that life itself isn’t bad. While on the program we learnt how to speed read & learn memory techniques. Another activity was the “Board Break” which was one of the best highlights of the day for me. This is where we wrote on the board “something to believe in”. You had to make sure your stance was correct so that you wouldn’t fall over, then you had to believe in yourself enough to break it. I didn’t think I could do it at first but with Colin & and everyone else believing I could do it…l had a little practice hit, then l was set. I snapped the board FIRST GO & was so pleased! It was a really good day. I met new people, some l am still in touch with today. I believe things don’t just change overnight but l felt a whole new type of person that day. If l had the chance to do this program all over again, l would. I believe EVERYONE should do it. I am sure everyone will get something from it. I know l did!
(Anonymous, 16 years old)
From the Teachers…
What price do we place on equipping young people with the life skills to discover their passion, to achieve goals, to feel good about themselves, to relate well, to manage stress? Priceless some might say. I am writing to recommend the work of Colin Lee from Shift International after witnessing the fruits of the “Excellerate” program held here in October 2008. Colin’s infectious enthusiasm combined with his skills and commitment to young people has made for a profound influence on a group of young people in our College. He truly is a significant ‘influence for good’ among young people in Australia.
(Peter Chalkley – Dir. Faith and Spirituality. Notre Dame College)
