Back in August, when the school year was just beginning to kick off, I delivered a message to the entire BEA staff that focused on building authentic relationships. The message focused mainly on building relationships and connections with students, but also touched on the importance of relationships with one another and our communities. This message has been emphasized on the daily here at BEA - in some way, shape, or form. Teachers talk about the importance of building relationships with their students, principals talk about the importance of building culture (relationships) between teachers, students, and support staff, and a few times throughout the year, the school hosts events to encourage building connections with our families and communities. Enter, Joe Beckman. 

But first, let me back up a little. Many years ago, BEA began working with a group called Youth Frontiers. Youth Frontiers’ mission, according to their webpage, is: to provide schools with experiences that inspire character, civility, and community. In order to do this, they offer one-day retreats focused on timeless values like kindness, courage, and respect. Our 5th, 7th, and 9th graders are fortunate enough to partake in these one-day retreats every single year, thanks to the BEA Foundation who provide the necessary funds for these retreats. And what an impact these retreats have on our students. For any parent (myself included) who has been fortunate enough to have a student attend one of these retreats, we hear first-hand how awesome the day was, the impact it had on each individual student, and the newfound sense of energy they have to make a positive impact with one another going forward. Yes, we are certainly fortunate to host Youth Frontiers for our students every year for three separate days.

Again, enter Joe Beckman, whose early years with motivational speaking began with Youth Frontiers. Today, Joe has branched out on his own and assembled his own team of folks who travel to school districts and communities all over the midwest to share one powerful message, the importance of Human Connection. Talk about fitting right in with our theme this year here at BEA! I’ve had the distinct privilege to speak with Joe several times over the phone as we chatted about BEA, his purpose with speaking, and the possibility of bringing him here to BEA. Every time I get the opportunity to speak with Joe, I hang up the phone feeling empowered, enlightened, and energized - ready to tackle the world! Which is why I knew we HAD to bring him here to BEA.

I am elated to share that we will be hosting Joe for a two-day event here at BEA. Over the course of two days, Joe will have the opportunity to speak with our students, our staff, and our communities. On March 24, Joe will be in our schools to speak with our students, ALL of our students. Joe will spend the day in small groups with our students delivering the message in the powerful way that only he can do, teaching our students how to love themselves and go from good to great. That evening, Joe will be hosting a free community event that I’d like to invite you all to attend. At 6 pm on March 24, Joe will be in our BEAHS Performing Arts Center to deliver what can only be described as a powerful, impactful message. I have not been this excited to host a speaker, well, ever. At a time when our district is going through massive changes and hardships, I have no doubt that Joe will be a beacon of light to remind us that not only will we get through difficult times, but we can all band together to be a part of the positive along the way. He has the ability to resonate with folks and give them a sense of purpose and meaning that we didn’t even know we had within us. I know that Joe has the potential to impact each and every one of us, which is why I am hoping we pack the BEAHS Performing Arts Center at 6 pm on March 24. And, to make your evening as easy for you to attend as possible, we are providing a free-will offering meal at 5:30 pm - hosted in part by our Business Professionals of America (BPA) and National Honor Society (NHS) students - that consists of roasted chicken, roasted potatoes, salad bar, cookie, and lemonade so you don’t have to think about cooking that night. We are also providing free childcare for children ages 3 and up in our high school gymnasium that evening, again thanks in part to our Child Development high school students who will be assisting with providing the childcare! 

Hosting Joe and his team for this event is no small endeavor, which is why I must mention a huge thank you to the BEA Foundation and the area Ministerial Committee for helping to sponsor Joe. Without their support and donations, we certainly would not have been able to have Joe as our guest. 

At a time when phones and social media have taken the place of handshakes and face to face interaction, there is no better time than March 24 to come to the BEAHS Performing Arts Center and listen to Joe to reconnect with our students, our families, and ourselves. Still not convinced? I encourage you to take a quick search on YouTube to see some video clips of Joe’s messages, or visit https://joebeckman.com/ to peruse what others have to say about Joe and his team.

While I realize we are all incredibly busy, and it is so difficult to give up an evening, I hope you all will be intrigued by Joe’s message and will plan to join us on March 24 for what I think will be an impactful evening. I predict everyone will walk away a changed person from this event - so please, join us on March 24 @ 6 pm as BEA hosts Joe Beckman! Curious as to what Joe will be speaking about with our students? Check out these videos on YouTube.