 Thank you Mike and we'll great job guys and and that's what we're going to talk about a little bit this morning as we get on through those relationships building those relationships throughout the year and Mike must read some of my notes because he's falling right along there which is great so at this time I'd like to further introduce he says he's a civilian now but to me he's still a sergeant bright sergeant Dakota Meyer as I said graduated 2006 joined the Marines after that and then rest his history the first soon to be the first living recipients recipient in over 40 years to receive a Medal of Honor and I told Dakota as we were talking a few days back he came by and I told him that I was proud of him no matter you know whether he won the medal or not you know because he showed me and when they when they go out on the line and they put it out there for the country you know that's that's a that's a big service big sir and we don't we don't think about that until it kind of hits home but he's got a he's got a you know a great story to tell and it's more than a story I mean it's a mission it's a life and but but we can be proud of him we can be proud of all those young men we have other serving now and and some of years have have gone and you want to remember them as well so wish you guys when the start of this now I didn't really want to get up up here so but at this time we are we are certainly honored to have with us this morning Sergeant Dakota Meyer please give him a great welcome this morning thank you I appreciate it so to fix coach Hodges story there were a lot of rabbits there his dog just I did it couldn't find him all right so I want to start off by by what motivates a person what is it that creates perspective what is it that drives an individual the answer is that at some point in his or her life they've been challenged challenge for the good or challenge for the bad challenge nonetheless the decision becomes whether or not to accept the challenge and be changed forever in the process for they say it is the decision and the journey that not only shapes the person but those he or she comes in contact with it is exactly these challenges that have me speaking to you today and they have significantly changed my life change and shape my life forever I was challenged at Green County High School sometimes for the good and sometimes not for my liking some of you may remember that I wasn't exactly a model student some of the teachers challenged me but not in the traditional ways you think I was not the best student and I didn't always get along with everyone I was often told no and that I couldn't do things this is the this is this challenged me it motivated me to prove people wrong later I realized that it taught me persistence and the value of encouragement a challenge is exactly what led me to become a Marine the recruiter told me he was sitting actually right back there where Mr. Deaton is I'll never forget he's at his table and he told me said you don't have what it takes to be a Marine you know you can go play football or do whatever you think you're gonna do but you don't have what it takes to be a Marine so I told him I say you know you pack your stuff up right now and I'll sign the papers today so we did and and this is what motivated me you know his challenge motivated me to become the Marine that I am and that I was and and once I was in there it was what the fuel that drove me to be the best Marine I could many of you probably read the circumstances surrounding my story it is important that you understand that I was part of a team I didn't accomplish anything I was part of something bigger part of a team of men that work together lifting each other up and working towards a common goal every every member of our team was as important as the other each of our jobs responsibilities and duties all contributed to collective goals all I accomplished was living up to my responsibilities protecting what it means to be part of a team and not allowing my team's actions to go unrewarded or forgotten my message to you all today is to please remember what motivates you and especially who it is you should be challenging challenge each other challenge your students but please remember to be constructive do it with meaning and with purpose encourage them help them see a bigger picture and and to realize what they can accomplish my time in the Marine Corps taught me that being part of a team and depending on each other are essential to accomplishing goals this school system is an entire team made up of smaller units but essentially all with the same objective remember to stay centered focused on challenging each other to be part of a team that motivates young people and be more than they realize young people today need to be challenged it takes the motivation of every individual in this room working together to see to see and really and they working together and motivation and in motivating everyone to make them see and realize their individual potential my final thought is reference is referenced by expert Larry aptly positive thinking plus positive action equals the realization of full human potential any honors or accolades bestowed on me are really the realization of others positive thinking and actions that helped me realize my full human potential thank you some of you most of you have read the stories in the local papers and other places and I'll share with you just a little bit I don't know for all the details but as I said Dakota is receiving the Medal of Honor coming up later this fall I think and the president will be bestowing that upon him and we couldn't be prouder of him and as he went into in the battle there that he had the opportunity or he took the opportunity to they were pinned down for some time the way I read it eight or nine hours and took the opportunity to go back in and try to retrieve some of his fellow soldiers and he was hoping to bring my life but they weren't gonna come up man I want you to I just want you to know what the young man has been through and I mean whether three or four you know just a brief overview like you said you know we went on a mission and ran into some bad circumstances what we were expecting and then you know they were all pinned down for a total you know the battle lasted about eight hours and you know I went back in to try to get my my team I was part of a four-man team and they had replaced me that day to put in another Marine and I went in to try to go get them out and like like he said when I got in there to them they were all you know they had all been killed so you know and at the end of the day that's what it's about you know I got you know a lot of people want to say you know you're a hero this and that and and like I like to tell everyone if this is what it feels like to be a hero you can have it so you know I think they made a good point you never know it's not about what the child is or what the student is in front of you at that point you don't know what challenges are gonna be thrown at him after he leaves if you had told me that these are the challenges or the opportunities I would have had after I left I would have probably laughed at you but you know and that's the thing you know everyone here is the student getting out of your he's a director of flexion ship or a director flexion of his teacher you know so I think I think that's what the big message is today any any questions at all for Dakota this morning I want to give you an opportunity if you have anything you'd like to share questions at all and quite a bit said already thank you to colleagues thank you again very much for for being here those coach Griffith said and you never really know who's sitting in front of you day-to-day whether it's in the classroom or or whatever you may be doing out on the front lines here in the school and with no way would diminish what he has done down to what we're doing but you can have a major impact on those kids today so I want you to pay attention to who's in front of you each day try to see their potential you try to figure out you never really know where life may take them one thing I do know is that all of you all can make a difference all of you all can play a significant part of a very important role in the lives of whatever outcome they may be so this coming here I want to encourage each of you to look a little bit deeper into the hearts and soul of those kids that you face each day this year I want to challenge each each of you encourage each of you to make the extra effort to build those positive relationship with your students and I don't want you I just don't want this to be a speech and you take go away and not do that because you know as well as I do that that's that's what's going to make the difference it just may not be who you expect you never know who's out there so don't write anybody off give them all an opportunity some they just don't they're just hard to bring along but try every way you can if you will please give Dakota Meyer another big hand we're proud of what you've turned into what you've made of yourself and make us all about it Dakota and I were talking earlier up here you know we've all we all have made mistakes in our lives we've all at least I think most of us have we all weren't those model students all the times but it's it's about what we take with us I appreciate you being here with us this morning and all your crew with them so hopefully to keep keep you all too long this morning but it was a great honor to have you and we look forward to seeing more in the future and he's got a busy schedule and but you you'll see you're here and see more about Dakota as the year goes on and there's any way we can help you in the future we'll be more happy to do that thank you so much great ambassador for Green County