A favorite of event planners for years, It fires up people to the theme of the meeting. It sets the tone for things to get accomplished in a conference/retreat format and leaves people feeling inspired and entertained at banquets and luncheons! We all have a fire within. When it is stoked, look out! In this talk Charlie shares the stories of the most on fire people he has interviewed and researched over the past four decades. Motivating! Entertaining! Funny! This includes the classic Running the Steps story about the time an older man came out of the mist at the base of the Rocky Balboa steps in Philadelphia and taught Charlie a life changing lesson! “As soon as we learned we would be the host city for the 82nd state wide Clerk - Treasurer’s Conference in 2018, we knew we had to get Charlie to open it with the Stoke talk! It got everything off and running! Thank you!” - Teri Buckmaster, event planner.

The first time Charlie did this talk was in 2008 in Chicago when he delivered Stoke the Fire Within to open a conference and then this was a Breakout Session later in the day. The room filled up! People then and especially now in 2022 are looking for a few tools to help things be a little better. This does not solve all their headaches, but it focuses on timeless gems Charlie has learned from people smarter than him on how to stay as upbeat as possible.

The greatest accomplishment in American sports happened on a sheet of ice in the Adirondacks Mountains at the Lake Placid Winter Olympics in 1980. USA 4 Russia 3. Charlie was a 12th grader living with his family in a small Mississippi town that was inspired like all of America when the words “Do you believe in Miracles? Yes!” were heard on ABC that Friday night, February 22, 1980. Having done extensive research on the journey towards their gold medal, Charlie shares in emotional fashion the story of Coach Herb Brooks at that hockey team of true amateurs that faces a Soviet team of professionals. People will come away feeling there is nothing they cannot overcome after hearing this story.

This experience is built for the whole educational team! It could be in August when the superintendent or principal has everyone together, in-house workshops or in January before the 2nd half of the school year!

Charlie reminds the team - teachers, aides, administrators, custodians, cafeteria workers, coaches, bus drivers, everyone - how NEEDED they are and delivers encouraging words to keep battling despite all the well documented challenges they face every year!

“My staff got weary of me focusing on serious matters all of our August meeting so they demanded that I “bring Charlie in!”. I did and he set the tone for our meeting with a sincere message we all needed.” - Joe Sabo, former Supt, Wa Nee Schools

“Thank you, Charlie, for such a powerful message to reignite our team!” - Rick Ross, Supt, Mason County Schools, Kentucky

Charlie has done this Talk in over 50 school systems over the years. He goes back to how certain things teachers and coaches did to give him the confidence to go into broadcasting. He shares about his late mother, Dr. Anne Adams, an elementary school teacher who later became Professor of the Year at Duke University.

Make this experience a priority for your educational team. in 2022 and beyond, it is needed more than ever!

“Choices that will Set you Up for a Life of Significance and Adventure!” When Charlie was 19 he walked into the Journalism Building of the University of Mississippi to see if he could try out for Student TV News sports anchor. He was so nervous that night he could not speak and they had to wait until he could actually speak. Four years later he was in Los Angeles received a Golden Microphone for Broadcasting Excellence. In this MUST HEAR experience, he shares with young people HOW they can reach their dreams! What it takes to live a joy filled life of significance, helping others while really liking what you do as a profession. He shares the most valuable insights champions in live have told him, and everything is tailored to the school audience. This experience sets up to where teachers and coaches can follow up the points and help build a foundation of the best choices for young people!