103 Comments
Chloe r
1/27/2015 07:03:47 am
Think: He was one of my favorite speakers we've had, because he was really relaxed and he seemed smart and like he cared about the medical industry. I think its really cool that he stressed that he wasn't amazing at school, math or science, but he loves knowledge and so he found success as a doctor.
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Dillon Prescott
1/28/2015 09:55:34 am
Chloe this is suposed to be the place for the talk from Mrs. Clarks father not tj's
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Chloe r
1/28/2015 10:55:12 am
I wonder if I still get credit................ I can really believe in what Mr.Pledger said about how the smallest choice can have a huge effect weather you want to or not. It was really interesting learning about what choices he made and what they ended up becoming and turning into. He explained how you can be any type of person living any life, rich or poor doesn't matter and it still has a huge impact and "Collateral damage". He said that his friend once told him " Drugs don't make you somebody, they make you someone else". This quote effected me the most. I think of it about how choices will not always give you the option you expect and what it will become.
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Tristan Elghoroury
1/28/2015 07:36:12 am
I can think of moments where I have made a hard choice but nowhere near to what his choice led to!
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Christian Klosterman
1/28/2015 08:32:02 am
Yeah, the chain reaction that that one situation caused is crazy to think about.
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Jackson Sjogren
1/28/2015 01:09:34 pm
I think we can all apply what he taught to our own lives. At one point or another I'm sure we will have to make the same deaccession at a lower or higher scale.
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grant
1/28/2015 01:26:31 pm
I agree and also think that small choices can have a huge effect on things.
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Nicole King
1/28/2015 07:15:46 am
I think his presentation was very interesting and made me think back about the life choices I have that have made me who I am today. He talked in a way that was relateable to everyone.
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Tristan Elghoroury
1/28/2015 07:37:02 am
Yea I wonder the same thing. How would he be today if he hadnt taken that first hit?
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Isaac fernandez
1/28/2015 07:49:14 am
Yeah I wonder what it'd be like for him if he never went to the apartment too, I just know we could never change the past so I think it's a blessing in disguise for him.
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Emily Hayashida
1/28/2015 12:08:04 pm
I agree that his presentaion was very insightful and made me think about my past choices and choices that I will be making in the next couple years. I also liked the way you brought up how eveyone has done something that they regret becasue while that can sometimes be hard to admit it is a completely true statement.
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Noah Legier
1/28/2015 07:16:47 am
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to dwight’s presentation. There are very few people that i know that openly admitted to doing hard drugs. I was in fact surprised myself that he ever did such things. Dwight is a down to earth and charismatic person, if i had been approached on the street by him i never would've guessed that he was a drug addict. But drug addicts are not bad people. They are just good hearted people who are struggling to regain control. As a society its up to us to put a stop as well as help those you are still yeekin and freakin and tweakin.
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Jackson Sjogren
1/28/2015 01:11:53 pm
It's a good point. However I'm sure Mr.Pledger looked a lot different while he was an addict.
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George Downey
1/28/2015 07:28:01 am
I really connected to this.
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Dylan L
1/28/2015 08:51:38 am
George-- you should be sharing your story just like Mr. Pledger is doing. I'm sure that you could give a great presentation.
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Eli Murguia
1/28/2015 11:41:07 am
Wow George, that was a beautiful connection. I can't believe that something like that happened to someone so out going and as lively as you, but I'm glad that you were able to look past the collateral damage and bad choices and settle upon seeing the good that came out of it. It must be difficult to look back at something that must have been very difficult for you, but I want to thank you for coming out and sharing your perspective with everyone :)
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Tristan Elghoroury
1/28/2015 07:33:59 am
This was an amazing speech/talk! I think that he has so much power to change people our age and tell them about his life story. I think that how he spoke and interacted with us was amazing and really fun. This was one of the best speeches I have had and I really think that if I ever have to make a hard choice in the future I will hear his voice and remember his life story. I felt and feel very inspired by someone like this. It shows us how amazing humans are and how one choice can alter your whole life. I wonder what his life would have been like if he had not taken that first hit. Would he have had another problem or would his life have been perfect? One thing that is positive is how he lived through all of the pain and addiction and now he used his life as a warning to show us the power of choice!
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Kaeli Leoni
1/28/2015 09:01:51 am
I agree it's crazy how one thing completely altered his life's course. To think of how fragile life can be is really surprising as things can change so quickly with one little action.
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Morgan King
1/28/2015 11:48:49 am
I agree that he gave a phenomenal speech, and that his lessons have left an impact on us, to hopefully think carefully about the choices we make.
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Alexis Miranda
1/28/2015 08:08:27 am
I think Mr Pledger was a very outstanding man, the story he shared with us was very moving and made me reflect about my life. I loved how he went into deep meaning about the power of choice and how choices can impact your life.
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Christian Klosterman
1/28/2015 08:32:58 am
I agree, the way he described the power of choice really stuck to me.
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Justin Reyes
1/28/2015 12:04:41 pm
I agree as well, he gave a phenomenal speech and his lessons will truly make an impact on us
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Christian Klosterman
1/28/2015 08:28:47 am
Mr. Pledger was amazing to listen to. Everything he said was so heartfelt and I could tell that he was speaking honestly in front of us with no lies. He went through so many struggles, and took full responsibility as it was the power of choice. It is crazy to think that those 5 1/2 years of drug abuse stemmed from him going to his friends apartment and smoking once. It was really eye opening to see how he went from a comfortable life to wandering Oakland. It is amazing to see that something so negative can still have good come out of it, as he is now motivational speaking about it.
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Dylan L
1/28/2015 08:49:49 am
I think that it is very interesting and very powerful that he has owned up to it all and doesn't make excuses. He knows what his choices did, and he lives with them. Fully admitting them.
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Kaeli Leoni
1/28/2015 08:59:17 am
I agree, it's great that he was able to turn the situation into something positive,
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Mikey Saunders
1/28/2015 11:03:16 am
I agree, I thought that him taking his life mistake and turning it into a way to help people is so great.
Dylan L
1/28/2015 08:48:18 am
I thought that it was very interesting when Mr. Pledger was sharing his story with us. I completely agreed with his message: choice is powerful and any small one can affect you for the rest of your life. He was really enthusiastic and I really enjoyed hearing what he had to say.
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Piper Tompkins
1/28/2015 09:25:20 am
I agree, after hearing his presentation now I am questioning what decisions brought me to this point in my life.
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Abby Elliott
1/28/2015 02:07:21 pm
Talks like this sit in our minds ready to guide us.
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George Downey
1/28/2015 04:40:26 pm
The fact that he addresses the physical and mental responses he had in his situation made it super real and really brought home that meaning of choice. I defiantly agree with you that this talk will help me make decisions in the future, knowing the power of what I can do with even those everyday choices.
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camila Antonorsi
1/28/2015 08:50:42 am
Mr. pledger was incredible. I think he spoke so honestly and I think that everyone felt the weight of what he said. I feel that he is very lucky that his wife and family eventually forgave him and let him back into there lives. Its great that even after 5 1/2 years of him being gone. i thought that his words rang true about making choices, good ones, bad ones, and how when you mess up you sometimes have the voice the voice of someone telling you not to do that. I wonder if people make decisions based on there heart and or from there brain, and if they do whats better to listen to? I think that the decisions that mr. pledger made where based on both.
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Jenna Welsh
1/28/2015 09:01:16 am
I feel like the majority of transformative choices, both good and bad, are made from the heart, not the brain.
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Kaeli Leoni
1/28/2015 08:58:03 am
Mr. Pledger's story was truly impactful and inspiring. His life story is one that I will not soon forget, and I am very grateful to have heard it. I think that although he was very "weak" for a part of his life, he is a tremendously strong man. To have overcome something as serious as an addiction must have been extremely difficult, as well as coming back and facing the consequences of his actions. Hearing about his battles and triumphs really made me reflect on life and how challenging it can be and how no matter what, there is always a way to change your current situation for the better. When he talked about how so many people think that addiction or other things will never happen to them I thought it was very interesting to think about as I had always thought that about myself. I wonder how hard it was for his family as well as himself knowing that he really hurt that relationship once he came back. I also wonder how the mother was able to snap back to normal with him and not once blame him for the events that happened to their family, as I feel like I would probably do that if I was in that situation.
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Jenna Welsh
1/28/2015 09:02:40 am
I agree! Mrs. Pledger sounds like the strongest woman ever. I do not know if I could forgive someone like she did.
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Jenna Welsh
1/28/2015 08:59:22 am
I think Mr. Pledger was a very talented speaker! You could hear a pin drop in the Commons. He had really relevant and beautiful pieces of wisdom to give to us. I left the presentation feeling like I had just been to a really powerful church service.
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Piper Tompkins
1/28/2015 09:22:42 am
I know what your saying how great of a speaker he was! Everything he said was full of wisdom.
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Michele Moua
1/28/2015 01:12:05 pm
he was so passionate about everything he said, you could tell in the ways he spoke, moved and told his story from beginning to end
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Adrien De Luna
1/28/2015 08:59:42 am
Think: Mr. Pledger was one of the best speakers I think we've had mostly because of how much enthusiasm he had when he was talking, and partly because of his story, I thought his story was really great in that he tried to fix his life by making better choices. I loved his story and the piece of art he brought was amazing, and it really touched me.
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Alexis Habib
1/28/2015 02:45:40 pm
Choices are very much like the butterfly effect, one small event can trigger an altered life.
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Alex de Villiers
1/28/2015 09:01:09 am
Think: I think that this presentation was one of the most impactful things I have heard in a long time. This was a very important lesson taught to all of us, he showed that even the smallest choices can have the biggest consequences, whether they are good or bad. He made his life both a warning an and example to follow.
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Mikayla
1/28/2015 11:42:55 am
I have a hard time understanding how someone becomes so addicted to something that they lose everything.
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Morgan King
1/28/2015 11:46:01 am
I completely agree with you, I think that his lessons will help us to become better people in the future. I too have wondered how addiction feels, but I think its more important that people understand that they're still associating something with negative words, and so that should mean that it must be that bad.
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Kayla Feather
1/28/2015 09:09:16 am
Think: I think this was an excellent story and presentation to have listened to. I can related to parts of his story because I have had a few family members and friends fall into similar addiction and watch their whole life fall apart. It was amazing how easy it seem to tell his story and to not try and hide his mistakes. All of his answers to any of our question were so deep, relatable, and made you think about wow I have or might not make choices I thought were one hundred percent good.
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Piper Tompkins
1/28/2015 09:19:59 am
I think that Mr. Pledger is extremely courageous to admit all of the things he had done in the past, he was so upfront and he talked in a way that makes deep impressions. His whole presentation sounded like a slam poem to me, its like every line and word he said was quotable and made you think about your choices and how they effect the out come of your life.
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Abby Elliott
1/28/2015 02:05:36 pm
We are lucky that our teacher values real life and does not hide it from us.
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Alexis Habib
1/28/2015 02:44:20 pm
You are right! It did sound like a poem. I never though about that at the time but now I see
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Ian
1/28/2015 10:29:34 am
I really enjoyed watching him and hearing him about what choices he had made threw his life. He look like mrs Clark, beside that I was sad and happy to hear about his life. It opened my eyes to what I am doing in my life and the chocies. I hope what happen to him If it happent to me somone would still love me like the way your way was to him.
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Chloe r
1/28/2015 10:58:13 am
This was a really intense conversation. especially about such a tragic subject, but he made it lighter by laughing and smiling the entire time. I enjoyed the talk, and hearing the emphasis on choices, in particular I liked the quote, "no choice is still a choice." which with so many important choices coming up, (and my indecisive nature.) I will keep that in mind.
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Michele Moua
1/28/2015 01:15:52 pm
I know right... there was some pretty and heavy stuff in there deeper down...the presentation could have gone multiple ways, ways that could have touched the heart and pulled at emotions. But the experience was a memorable one and something completely new in retrospect to the topic of drug abuse
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Mikey Saunders
1/28/2015 10:59:47 am
Wow. It was so amazing to hear what this man had to offer. Listening to the story of his life really moved me. It gave me the understanding of how choices can really change not only yourself but everyone around you. At one point I actually had to fight back some tears because it really struck me. I've made some choices that I look back at and feel horrible about but hearing how he was able to change and get better and turn his life back around has given me hope and the will to become better. I really enjoyed all of this but wondered to myself how could someone go through all of this and turn out so well. I think what he is doing and wanting to help people with their problems is a wonderful thing. Again I had such a great time listening to this and hope to hear something again from him.
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Eli Murguia
1/28/2015 11:28:41 am
I can really connect with what you said about there being hope for you and your past choices. While listening to his presentation I too felt deeply connected by some mistakes which I've made that have eaten away at me inside, but seeing how happy he is now and how he was able to be forgiven and able to move on filled me with hope likewise :)
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Emily Dingman
1/28/2015 11:10:11 am
Think: I think your dads presentation was powerful and inspiring to everyone, he was thoughtful and truthful through everything he said. I think you are a lot like your dad, you both speak with passion and just have an easy vibe to connect too.
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Mikayla
1/28/2015 11:37:59 am
I agree. It is amazing how his wife took him back with so much forgiveness.
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Eli Murguia
1/28/2015 11:19:17 am
Mrs. Clark, you and your dad are both very similar in that you are such powerful speakers and motivators. The whole time he said things that were so meaningful and serious but there were also times when he connected with the audience and made us laugh. I really loved his presentation because of the fact that he was so open to talking about all the damage and bad things that he had done in his lifetime. And it wasn't just because he didn't mind exposing the ugly side of his life to a bunch of high schoolers, but it was because he wanted to use his life as a message to students that the choices we make can change the outcome of our future forever. I really enjoyed the way that he talked about his struggles because he also talked about what was going through his mind while in the midst of doing all of those wrongs. He used analogies to create such a clear image of what was going on in his life to a point that you completely understood what he was saying and what he experienced without having to be in the exact situation.
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Emily Hayashida
1/28/2015 12:05:19 pm
Yes you both are spunky and exciting individuals. I also agree with Eli, when he metioned the things he was thinking about at the airport I finally understood that while he loathed the addiction he thrived off of it too.
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Lucas LeVieux
1/28/2015 02:07:12 pm
This is pretty much how I felt about things, too. "The truth about lies" part really struck me, too. That was the one part I wished I had my notebook- I ended up taking out my phone to take a picture of the slide.
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Mikayla Kricfalusi
1/28/2015 11:35:41 am
Mr. Pledger was an excellent speaker. He was engaging and vibrant as he relayed to us his story. Over and over again, he impressed upon us the idea that he had nothing to speak of. He had lost so much because he believed that he was above the average person, that addiction wouldn't happen to him. I was very impacted by this idea. I know that I believe that certain things won't happen to me, that they happen to other people, weaker people. But that is obviously not true.
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Morgan King
1/28/2015 11:41:10 am
I thought that today was very moving. It was full of passion and it taught me a lot of new things. I can say that after today, I now know where Mrs. Clark gets her very energetic and outgoing personality. It was very interesting to learn how much your life can change based on one single, small action. I do not see many people focusing on these small actions, mainly because I believe that when people make mistakes they can't blame them themselves. They are not able to do so because attaching your faults to yourself, would be to say that you will never be able to redeem yourself. I thought it was amazing that he was able to get in front of a large number of teenagers who were complete strangers to him, and the fact that he was able to tell his story so easily. He established how hard it was, but he always kept everyone's attention.
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Morgan King
1/28/2015 11:42:12 am
I also thought that Mr. Pledger was very skilled in public speaking.
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Nicole Matteson
1/28/2015 01:32:23 pm
I think that people can blame themselves for mistakes, but some either don't want to or they will try to justify them. He said in his presentation that each hard decision has something appealing in each option. But the one that you want, the one you desire, you will try to make excuses because you want it. So you'll do brain gymnastics to find away that it could be good. But if you look at each option plainly, you will see which one is best to make.
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Emily Hayashida
1/28/2015 12:02:33 pm
Think: I think that Mr. Pledger's story was very honest and incredible. The power of choice is astounding! His story was a valuable lesson and warning at the same time and I am glad we got to hear him speak today.
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Isaac fernandez
1/28/2015 12:12:36 pm
Yeah I like how he was very vulnerable with us too! Especially when someone's giving a lecture on something like that, you have to give people a good reason to be vulnerable as well.
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Chenoa Levy
1/28/2015 05:00:09 pm
i think the honesty played a big part in his speech. He wash't looking for pity, He was just trying to inspire us.
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Justin Reyes
1/28/2015 12:11:48 pm
I think Mr Pledger was very outstanding. His story was truly impactful and inspiring. To have overcome something as serious as an addiction must have been extremely difficult, as well as coming back and facing the consequences for what he did. I loved how he went into deep meaning about the power of choice and how choices can impact your life. After hearing all the battles he went through, it really made me reflect on my own life and how theres always a way to change your current situation for the better. I really wonder what would’ve happened if he never went into that apartment. Also I wonder what small decisions have affected me the most in my life.
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Jack Campbell
1/28/2015 12:20:23 pm
I thought the presentation was interesting. I have always thought of the power of choice and the importance that it plays in peoples lives, and I believe that it is important for people to know. I feel that the stories and experiences that Dwight shared were very powerful and helped students and even teachers to see the effects that self lies can have on you. I wonder if the presentation helped anyone in our class/team to overcome anything?
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Grant
1/28/2015 01:31:48 pm
I also think the power of choice is supper important because you can change your whole life with one choice
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Isaac Fernandez
1/28/2015 12:23:30 pm
Think: I think that what Mr. Pledger spoke to us about today, was probably one of the most important things that a high schooler could hear. I think that it really hit home to a lot of people too. I think...I know that something like that where people are not comfortable with the decisions that they have made, it's awkward for them. I know it made me think of past decisions that have really effected my life.
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Eddie
1/29/2015 12:28:55 am
I too wonder why, is love that powerful?
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Jackson Sjogren
1/28/2015 01:06:55 pm
Think: I think he was probably the best guest speaker we have had. He was captavating and he was talking from true experience which made me want to listen much more.
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Michele Moua
1/28/2015 01:10:13 pm
What Mr. Pledger told us today, was so meaningful because it could apply and happen to anyone. He never believed that he would get sucked up into the drug world growing up, however it still happened because of a poor choice. He was at the top of his game but still had fallen into a cycle of remorse and abuse. He said that he had lost practically EVERYTHING, and felt that he was undeserving of any support given to him. He had fallen multiple time and faced multiple consequences because of his choices in life. But the things that he emphasized most were the powers of love, forgiveness and realization Even though he had abandoned his family to pursue the outcomes of the one life changing decision he had made so long ago, your mother had the power and strength to forgive him and restore their relationship to allow him to get back on his feet. Even when he returned to the family he still had his addiction, but he was on the road to recovery.
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Nicole Matteson
1/28/2015 01:21:26 pm
Mama Clarks mama sounds incredible! I truly believe in the act of "killing with kindness" and he told us how much it worked! He wanted his wife to be mad at him, but her perpetual kindness made him think for internally and come to acceptance and acknowledgment of his addiction and regrets.
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Sarah Lockhart
1/28/2015 02:26:04 pm
You worded that beautifully! And I agree, it make so much more of an impact on me hearing him give an honest perspective on what happened and how he was able to get out of that vicious cycle.
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Benjamin Rose
1/28/2015 03:50:40 pm
I think that forgiveness is important, and I think that showing it and acting it is even more important, even if you haven't forgiven the person. People that keep anger and negative feelings with them after a large amount of time will probably never truly be happy until they let go of them.
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Nicole Matteson
1/28/2015 01:17:20 pm
Throughout his whole presentation, I kept thinking of a dear friend of mine, lets call him A, who i constantly found connections to with what Mr. Pledger was saying. A was raised by a single mom, has 7 brothers and siblings, and his dad left/ was forced to leave because of drug addiction. Those experiences as a kid made him who is today. I feel like people with a lot of experience are always amazing people to talk to. They are more understanding, and can provide valid solutions to problems. Mr. Pledger said many things that i think will stick with me for the rest of my life.
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Grant
1/28/2015 01:24:28 pm
I found the presentation to be very inspiring and memorable. One of my favorite things about the presentation was how he told his story. He was very enthusiastic at times but knew when to get down on the details. After hearing the story I had a slightly changed aspect on life. “collateral damage” as he said. Now I think about each and every choice I make more because that choice could spark a string of events that will change the course of anyone’s life.
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Noah Parr
1/28/2015 01:31:13 pm
Mr. Pledger's presentation today was probably one of the best ones I have ever listened to from a guest speaker. His stories, his reflection, his emotion, and his realness makes me think that he is a great speaker. I liked how he was not just standing, he was making us laugh, and making us sad, and making us feel. I feel like it was important on what he taught us about the power of choice, and I feel like after hearing his talk, I will be careful and observant with my choices, and think before hand. I wonder, he told about his story, he told us about the present, But I want to know a little bit in specifics. He told us he helps out others that could be in his past situations, but I want to know how.
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Abby Elliott
1/28/2015 02:04:00 pm
I think I know where Mrs. Clark might have gotten her speaking gifts…Mr. Pledger. Mr. Pledger delivered a powerful, enlightening speech today which held the audience captive. I feel blessed when others freely share their lives that I may grow and learn from them. I wonder why inside of EVERYONE of us resides a weak person and a strong person?
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Sarah Lockhart
1/28/2015 02:20:21 pm
I agree, he was so natural on stage and is an amazing speaker! And I think your wonder is a question for the ages; philosophers have been thinking about the struggle of good and evil for years and years.
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Think: When I was listening to Mr. Pledgers all I thought about was how deep it was. Everything he said about making choices, and that some choices could be either good or evil. His exposure to drugs and how that one choice had a huge affect on him. I felt that his story connects with a lot of people in the world today and hoe fast you can loose your loved ones and how fast you can loose everything. I wonder what made him change his life for the better and how he was able to continue to do drugs even though he had almost died?
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Sarah Lockhart
1/28/2015 02:17:50 pm
Mr. Pledger's speech really moved me and I'm really touched that he would want to share something so personal and vulnerable like that with us. I was really inspired by Mrs. Pledger and how she was so forgiving and loving to him after all that had happened. I think that isn't something that is being taught or even respected in our culture because I hear lots of people our age saying that you shouldn't trust people or let them back in. But I feel that this presentation is an important example of why you should forgive people and try to reconnect if possible. But now I wonder how some of the choices I and the people around me make will effect us in the years to come.
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Eddie
1/29/2015 12:28:04 am
It was very moving and I also liked that she forgave him. Forgive but don't forget.
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Hesham Hamed
1/28/2015 02:29:02 pm
This was the best speaker we have had all year. The emotion and sincerity in his speech is amazing ( now I know where Mrs.Clark gets her public speaking skills from). I like how he went step by step of how his life was from being good to all of a sudden descending into chaos. He not only explained his story but he cracked some jokes and had some fun with us. I loved his speech, thank you to Mr.Pledger and to Mrs.Clark for this amazing story.
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Matt Rose
1/29/2015 12:19:43 am
I really enjoyed his humor too, it really shifted the mood to something light, even though he was explaining something deep.
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Izzy Avedisian
1/28/2015 02:35:29 pm
Mr. Pledger is the most amazing, hard working, and insightful man that I have ever met. he spoke about how one small decision in your life could have such an impact on how the rest of your life plays out. His story is truly inspiring and had a great impact on people. I know that almost everyone didn't expect the direction of his story and how one poor choice affected his life. I am still shocked by the way his wife just forgave him without asking any questions or blaming him for anything. I think what he wanted us to keep in the back of our minds was to have a plan of how we are going to succeed, because if don't plan for success, you are accepting failure. I still wish that I could have stayed till the end of the presentation and asked more questions about his son and their relationship. Mr. Pledger definitely impacted me in a positive way and I am sure that other students feel the same way.
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Alexis Habib
1/28/2015 02:41:57 pm
I think that Mr. Pledger is a very brave man to speak in front of group of strangers about where his choices lead him. He seems to have accepted his past and is trying very hard to teach others not to walk down the same road.
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Hunter Birk
1/28/2015 02:50:10 pm
I think that Mr. Pledger is an incredible example of what a driven person is. Although something like addiction is horrible what he took away from it and his perspective on life is amazing.
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Kane McGrath
1/28/2015 03:29:30 pm
I thought that his presentation was very interesting and was a very compelling story. I thought that the focus of his presentation ,the power of choice was a great topic and it really made me think about the impacts of some of the choices I made. I thought that he was very honest with the audience and didn't hold much back. This gave me a lot of respect for the presenter and I really cared about what he was talking about.
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Benjamin Rose
1/28/2015 03:45:48 pm
I agree with your comment. I also think that most of us have made not so great choices in the past, but if we had not made them, would we not have learned?
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Lucas LeVieux
1/28/2015 03:34:47 pm
Wow these comments are really good.
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TJ
1/28/2015 03:42:40 pm
Listening to Mr. Pledger was like listening to a motivational speaker. How we had such an amazing life and explained it in such great detail but then feel off the deep end during a chance encounter with drugs. From then on his life was an emotional joy ride as he slowly swam back up to the surface and finally escaped addiction and returned to his normal life.
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Benjamin Rose
1/28/2015 03:44:10 pm
I thought his talk was really interesting. The power of choice is certainly a powerful one, and it makes you think about life in general. It's definitely important to think before you do things, and to know all of the risks and possible consequences, especially when making a risky decision. Personally, though, I don't think there's always a clear right and wrong choice. Making the wrong choice can be important, and sometimes the "wrong" choice doesn't turn out being so wrong in the end. Life has more gray areas than just right and wrong, and I think that it's important to acknowledge this. I think a person has to take the situation into account, and then make a decision based on a combination of their instinct and their logic.
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Chenoa Levy
1/28/2015 04:53:44 pm
Mr. Pledgers n was not only very impactful but also very engaging. I liked how open he was about his problem, and he didn't seem like he was running away from the problem or making excuses but instead being blunt and honest about his experience. Mr. Pledger's talk really made me think about the future choices I'm going make. Being a teenager a lot of the decisions are made in the moment and I don't typically think of the consequences years from now. However I learned how important it is to not only plan ahead but think of the people around me and how they will be affected. I feel as though this talk will stick with me throughout life and influence the future choices I make.
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Srdja
1/28/2015 10:52:49 pm
I think that life is a long journey. The speech we had yesterday was truly impactful on all of us. Mr. Pledger shared an incredible stories about his life and choices. I would never forget lectins I learned yesterday. Choice we make are making us.
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Matt Rose
1/29/2015 12:21:23 am
Such guilt and frustration with himself must of been very tough and it surprises me that he was able to pass that.
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Matt Rose
1/29/2015 12:18:33 am
Mr.Pledgers presentation was very touching and shocking. I can't believe the struggle he went through and some how was able to come out of it fine. He is definitely one lucky man. I was not able to relate to his story directly very much since drugs has never been huge in my life, But the whole theme of making choices is what hit me. What seemed like such a small choice to him back when he saw someone doing drugs for the first time which ultimately let to his wrong doings is intense. Nobody would be able to read something like that happening and its scary to think about. Its possible that some or maybe most of us has already made a choice that might end very badly, but at the moment it all seems fine and that is what we can only think about.
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Allison Hopkins
1/29/2015 12:21:25 am
I think that this was a very interesting presentation. He was really able to capture our attention and even with a heavy topic he was able to make us laugh.
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Eddie Herrera
1/29/2015 12:27:18 am
I think what your father talked about was real and opened the eyes of others. Even though some say I already know that, many don't put it into effect.
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Chandler Gaines
1/29/2015 12:32:05 am
During Mr. Pledger's presentation I was feeling kind of close to home. I grew up around people who were in very similair shoes as he was. But, it was kind of backward where he lost his business then got addicted. Whereas people around me were already addicted then grew out of it and now own businesses. We have grown from the slums of naitonal city and city hieghts, logan all the way to living in wealthy nieghboorhoods now.
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Eamonn McGuiness
1/29/2015 12:58:29 am
Do not know if I should post or not since I was absent. I will just say it was interesting.
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Jordan Farrah
1/29/2015 01:47:37 am
I thought the talk was very interesting. I liked how he said everything is a result of a choice and we need to make the right choices. I wonder how he was able to get out that crazy back and back to life it was truly an amazing story. I feel like this talk was very benificial and educating about life itself because in school we rarely learn about life and living life.
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