KENT DENVER SCHOOL

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Inspiring Speakers Join KDS Students and Community

Inspiring Speakers Join KDS Students and Community

Kent Denver was fortunate to have a robust lineup of guest speakers join us on campus during the fall semester. 

Mitch Albom speaking to KDS middle schoolers

We kicked off our annual Scobie Institute for Wellness Speaker Series with a visit from renowned author and journalist Mitch Albom at the end of September. During the school day, Mr. Albom met with Middle and Upper School students at special assemblies. In the evening, he spoke in front of a packed crowd about his latest novel, The Little Liar. In all of his presentations, Albom discussed the importance of truth and the peril of lies to both individuals and society as a whole. 

"The reason people say 'don't lie' is that once you start lying, it's hard to stop. And once you start believing lies, it's hard to know the difference,” he told students. “If you don't believe how far a lie can take you, just look at what happened during World War II, because all those people ended up losing their lives because of a lie."

Mr. Albom also stressed the importance of hope in carrying us through even the most difficult times. In his evening presentation, he gave inspiring examples of the power of hope from his books—including Tuesdays with Morrie and The Little Liar—and his work with Haitian orphans through Have Faith Haiti

William Kamkwamba speaking to the KDS community

In October, Kent Denver teamed up with WorldDenver to invite William Kamkwamba, leader of the Moving Windmills Project and author of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, to campus. Mr. Kamkwamba shared his inspiring story of ingenuity and resilience—as a young teenager, he helped his family farm overcome drought in Malawi by building his village's first windmill—and discussed his current work supporting young inventors and entrepreneurs in his home country. He also participated in a fireside chat hosted by two high school students—including Gabriella K. '25—and answered audience questions. Watch the full recording!

Rounding out our first semester of speakers, the second installment of our Scobie Institute for Wellness Speaker Series brought Dr. Cara Natterson and Vanessa Kroll Bennett, two of the most trusted voices on puberty and hosts of the podcast It’s So Awkward, to campus. Through laughter and science, the pair led parents and students in engaging conversations about the many physical, emotional and social changes that happen during the tween and teen years.

Dr. Natterson and Ms. Kroll Bennett with the KDS Wellness Team

During the parent and guardian presentation, Dr. Natterson and Ms. Kroll Bennett had an open and frank evening discussion—infused with humor—designed to help adults better understand their students and equip them to navigate the often trying time of adolescence. When they met with middle school students during the school day, the pair explained the science behind what’s happening with their emotions and hormones. Dr. Natterson and Ms. Kroll Bennett also reminded students to give themselves grace and left them with a few takeaways to keep in mind as they continue along their middle and high school journey.

Kent Denver is excited to continue our Scobie Institute for Wellness Speaker Series in the spring semester when we welcome globally-recognized speaker, professional trainer and workshop facilitator Ash Beckham on Monday, April 7 at 6:30 p.m. in Anschutz Family Theatre. 

Based in Boulder, Beckham is known for her viral TEDx talk “Coming Out of Your Closet"—which inspired more than 8 million YouTube views across the country—as well as her book, Step Up: How to Live with Courage and Become an Everyday Leader. Through dynamic, highly-relatable and intrinsically comical speeches, she helps build awareness and visibility of equity, diversity, inclusion and cultural competencies that serve as a foundation for improved collaboration, cooperation and communication. Please join us for this educational evening as Beckham dives into the importance of acceptance and empathy.

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