Teeland Middle School
Wednesday, March 4
12:00
Teeland Middle School, Wasilla
Teeland Middle School, the district's newest middle school, is home to the Titans. Excitement is high at Teeland and students have many questions about Buffy the bear. Sixth grade has been the focus for Ben's visit. Throughout the fall and spring students have been reading books in the adventure genre. "Touching Spirit Bear" has been the most popular of Ben's books!
12:00
Teeland Middle School, Wasilla
Teeland Middle School, the district's newest middle school, is home to the Titans. Excitement is high at Teeland and students have many questions about Buffy the bear. Sixth grade has been the focus for Ben's visit. Throughout the fall and spring students have been reading books in the adventure genre. "Touching Spirit Bear" has been the most popular of Ben's books!
Ben is presenting right now. It is wonderful watching the students get into the story. They are listening entirely enraptured!
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I was presented to yesterday at Teeland. I loved the stories that Ben shared with us! I expected him to talking about his books mostly, but I was surprised when he told us a story that wasn't published, but still made me laugh until I cried and sometimes cry for sadness or happiness. It was the story of his life. Between his childhood in Bolivia and his bear trashing the bathroom without ever leaving the tub, Mr. Mikaelson had me hooked. To put it simply, I had the time of my life, and everyone else did, too! If he ever wants to come back, we'll welcome him with open arms!
In the hour he was talking to the sixth graders, I learned so much. I learned about him, and what he was willing to do to tell stories. His life story was a fantastic journey to places I never wanted to leave. As much as I learned about him, I also learned about myself. I saw who I was and who I'm trying to avoid becoming. Most importantly, I learned who I want to become. I saw my full potential. When he talked, I saw what I wanted to be so badly. I want to be a dream chaser; someone who dreams of something and makes that dream come true. Even if the odds are against me, I will do whatever it takes to be that person; the wonderful person I was meant to be.
All in all, having Ben at school was a great inspiration. I see things in a new way because of him. Ben is a one in a million kind of person. Yesterday was a day that will permanently be burned in my memory. All the odds were against him. He was in college and still didn't know how to spell the word "the." Now, he's a famous author.
Ben Mikaelson, You've earned my respect and my gratitude.
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I think that Ben had very interesting stories that made you laugh especially the ones that had Buffy in them. I really liked how Ben went over his whole life and how hard it was for him, and then how he met his dreams and succeeded. He show the students that if you want something bad enough you can have it if you just follow your dreams. He showed kids to never give up and to reach their goal. He told us that if you really want something you have to work hard for it, and that when you're finished following your dreams, all the hard work pays off. I like how he lectured the kids on how bullies really feel tiny on the inside, and that the just have to be mean to make them feel more powerful. I think that had a lot of meaning to it, and it made kids feel safer. The kids feel more able to just be themselves. The people that have dreams and follow them are the bigger person and they are the ones who succeed in life. Ben followed his dreams and became a champion at diving, and he loved to wright and now he his one of the worlds best authors. He proved that if you believe in yourself and you try hard enough you can reach your dreams and live your life happily. Ben proved that to kids all over America and now kids all over the country feel free to be themselves and to follow their dreams. Ben really surprise me when he didn't talk about his books but instead of his life. Ben really inspired me to be myself and its what I think of myself and nobody else. I really admire Ben Mikaelsen.
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I think Ben's stories were very interesting and they had a lot of meaning to them. His speech was very inspirational and I am sure that it has inspired a lot of kids to be determined and follow their goals and never give up. It taught us that if you want something bad enough then you will really have to work for it. Even if you get made fun of or beat up while you are trying to reach your goals, in the end it will definitely pay off. If you are very determined and you are not afraid to just be yourself, than anything is possible. I think it was very interesting to hear what he said about bullies. That even though they seem big on the outside, they are actually the smallest people on the inside. The people that have dreams and actually follow their goals are really the biggest people on the inside, even if they are really small on the inside. Since Ben followed his dreams and believed that anything was possible he became a very successful man with a very great and happy life that I am sure he is very proud of. Just keep a positive attitude and believe that anything is possible and one day you will reach your goals and be a very successful person. Really anything is possible.
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I thought it was cool how the author had his own pet bear. The tooth past story was really funny, and I wish that i could have a pet bear. I can relate to how he saved the bear from the people who wanted to kill it. One of my sister's friend in Georgia has a baby deer that they saved from some hunters that were going to kill it. Her family and her feed the deer and take care of it, and had to let it lose a while after they took it in.
What he said about him going after his dreams even though it is hard is a good example of chasing your dreams. He inspired a lot of kids to go after your dreams even when it gets hard. It was nice of him to give up some of his time to come visit us here. He was really funny and I think everyone enjoyed him there. From Ben's storries, I think he is really brave and strong for dealing with the bullies and following his dreams.
I think Ben did really good and he is a great presenter. That must have been really hard to memorize all of that stuff he said and not mess up. He is a great author and did good at catching everyone's attention.
Having Ben at this school was a great experience for everyone and we all apriciate it very much! If he comes backe next year for the sixth graders next year, I think they will enjoy his presentation as much as we did.
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