Making A Difference

Peter has become known as a teacher who dares to take on the improbable. Whether it is taking students trekking in Nepal, rock climbing in California, creating a mountaineering program or building a million dollar rock climbing facility, Peter is committed to going the extra mile for students.

Being an avid hiker/climber himself, he created an Outdoor Pursuits program to get kids active and involved. His current number of 59 trips into the mountains with students includes the well-known trip with Ryan Heuman, a student with Cerebral Palsy. The DVD of that trip called 'Daring to Believe' is circulating around North America.

In conjunction with the development of this Outdoor Pursuits Program, Peter also spent 14 years raising one million dollars to build The Boulders Climbing Gym, a rock climbing facility at the school. Unsurpassed in Canada, this was one of the reasons Stelly's High School was recognized as one of the top 10 high schools in Canada in 2005.

All audiences will go away encouraged about their own potential to make a difference and be inspired to do something about it.

Having spent 31 years in the classroom, this is a talk not to be missed by young teachers.

A Step in the Right Direction

We are vigorous, active animals that do well when we move and badly when we are sedentary. The movement that comes naturally to humans is walking, and at SPEAKWELL, we want you to walk nearly every day.

Peter loves walking and loves talking about it with anyone who will listen. Regardless of where you are on the continuum of fitness, you will be informed, given hope and encouraged to start walking. Peter's sister has lost 100 lbs and it has transformed her life! Take an hour and learn how and why to give yourself the gift of movement.

Moving From Success to Significance

"There is a hunger in us for more than the money standard – for assurance that our lives have not been merely successful, but valuable – that we have accomplished something grander than just another well-heeled, loudly publicized journey from the diaper to the shroud. In short, that our lives have been consequential." :: Russell Baker (75th anniversary of the Pulitzer Prize)

Using this quote from Russell Baker as a springboard, Peter uses his own personal experiences plus others to create a framework that encourages everyone to be the best they can be and then to give it all away to a world that is desperately hurting.

Peter believes that the school system is full of successful teachers who now need to take that next step to being significant. Using humour and personal stories, Peter encourages people everywhere to think big, to go for their dreams in order to meet the needs of a hurting and broken world. His energetic and humorous presentation will give people a new sense of what is possible and show them how they can move from 'success to significance'.