Path to Success presents Sean Campbell, published author
What will your students get to hear from Sean Campbell?
• Advice from a young role model
• Humor and wit
• A true success story from someone close in age
• A methodology to start pursuing their dreams
How will your students feel after hearing Sean Campbell?
• Opportunity to figure out what their wildest dreams are
• Desire to get started on accomplishing their dreams now
• Maturity to manifest positive events in their life
• Ability to conquer obstacles to achieve happiness
Speaking Outline
Sean Campbell became very successful at a young age. He published his first book as a teenager (The Sitcoms of Norman Lear, McFarland & Company, Inc., 2006, ISBN: 0-7864-2763-9). Sean was hosting Barnes and Noble book signings, and his book was sitting on the shelves at Harvard and Yale University libraries, before he graduated high school. During high school, Sean landed an internship in the editorial department at Scholastic Press, the world’s leading children’s book publisher. Sean attends the Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College in Manhattan on a full scholarship. Professionally, Sean is a motivational speaker, who focuses on helping America’s youth work past obstacles to attain happiness and success. He has spoken to groups ranging from elementary schools to senior citizens. By choice, Sean has spent the last year and a half specializing in motivational presentations for middle school students. His presentation, Age Doesn’t Matter: Becoming a Young Writer, the story of how Sean overcame various obstacles to publish his first book as a teenager, has received warm applause from thousands of students across the East Coast. Now, Sean has begun work on a book about teenage success, titled Teaching Teens About Success: What They Need to Know. He has found literary representation with Studio B. Productions, a prestigious literary agency with a client list of bestselling authors and New York Times journalists.
Sean’s youthful energy is a unique attribute that has consistently received a positive response from children and educators. Unlike other motivational speakers who have a considerable age difference in relation to their audience, Sean can speak to the audience as if he is one of their peers. Sean’s easy-going disposition allows all members of the audience to feel relaxed and relate to the content of his presentation. Because of this, children are in a comfortable position to take in the messages Sean emphasizes, and are motivated to lead successful lives now, at a young age, just like Sean.
Age Doesn't Matter: Becoming a Young Writer
Grades 4-8
“Thank you so much for coming into our class to speak to us. You truly showed me to be the best you can be and never give up. I also learned that you must edit a million times before perfection. You’ve truly inspired me!”
~ A sixth grade student at Roosevelt Elementary School in River Edge, NJ
“I had a great time listening to your speech. I learned some good ideas from you that could help me in the future. Now I feel that I can do anything I want to if I put my mind to it--also at any age. I just want to thank you for coming out to [my school] to speak to us about your book. It helped a lot. You should save this letter in case I become famous one day.”
-- An eighth grade student at Fred Fifer Middle School in Camden, DE
Presented by Sean Campbell
Teenage Author, The Sitcoms of Norman Lear
Children are fascinated by authors. They enjoy when authors visit their school to read a story or sit and chat. But few understand how these authors publish their books, or how any book gets published at all. At some point, all children ask themselves if they could write a book. How hard is it? How would I do it? Am I a good enough writer?
Sean will tell his personal story, explaining the process of getting a book published.
While telling his story, Sean will discuss the universal skills he needed to publish his book: stressing the importance of researching and the perils of plagiarism, taking your time and editing something until it is absolutely perfect, and following directions when submitting the idea to publishers. He stresses that these concepts are important no matter what endeavors students want to pursue. He explains how success would have been impossible had he not applied these concepts. Finally, Sean will tell stories of how positive thinking and visualization helped him look past the 70 rejection letters he received from publishers, and focus on what he wanted to achieve. “To be successful, you can’t focus on what you don’t have. You must focus on what you do have. And everything you ever need to be successful, you already have inside of you, whether you know it’s there or not.”
Sean will motivate your students to start accomplishing their goals, as vast as they may be, right now!
Most importantly, Sean will stress that age should never be a hindrance in accomplishing any goal. He encourages the students to look past any obstacles and accomplish their goals right now, with persistence and confidence – just like he did. The students will be able to relate to a successful young person. Sean’s success is a testament to his philosophies.
Sean will provide writing resources for the students who want to go the extra mile with their writing.
Sean will provide the students with his worksheet, “Four Steps to Becoming a Better Writer”, which explains how to get published in magazines and newspapers, along with how to win writing contests. It also lists specific magazines, newspapers, and contests they can submit their work to.
Sean will motivate your students to start accomplishing their goals, as vast as they may be, at this very moment!
Sean will provide the students with his worksheet, “Four Steps to Becoming a Better Writer”, which explains how to get published in magazines and newspapers. It also lists specific magazines, newspapers, and writing contests they can submit their work to. It also emphasizes that practice is the most vital component of the writing process, and that writers need to constantly practice writing skills, read, and work to enhance their knowledge of grammar and vocabulary.
Grades 9-12
Sean discusses what students need to know for success… that isn’t taught in school.
Youth need to be taught how to build the proper attitude for success and how to network in the real world career they want to pursue. It is imperative for a motivated student seeking success to develop an attitude that is constantly attracting success, and to secure valuable real world connections to apply their knowledge. Campbell will tell his personal story and how he got things moving in his own life. Sean will discuss his background and how he published his first book at seventeen.
Sean will explain how your students can achieve an attitude to attract what they want into their life.
The foundation of success is attitude, not knowledge. Good things can only come to you when you are thinking positively, so it’s important to maintain a good mood as much of the time as possible.
Sean will encourage students to have the time of their life while building personal success.
Being successful is fun! The key to success is choosing something you’re truly interested in pursuing. What is your wildest dream? First, figure out what it is. Second, design a road map to achieve it. Third, do it.
Sean will put a permanent embargo on excuses.
Whatever your wildest dream is, there is no reason you shouldn’t pursue it. Excuses equate to a lack of confidence, and confidence is the number one tool you need to succeed at your wildest dreams, which will ultimately lead you to everlasting happiness in your life.
Sean will explain his daily formula for maintaining intense focus on his goals.
Success doesn’t happen overnight. Instead, success is a combination of many consecutive “little victories” each day. It is your responsibility to maintain a positive mood, no matter what obstacles you may face that day, so you can earn your “little victory.” Sean will explain how to combat specific obstacles of the day, such as fatigue, the frustration of other people, and high school drama, to maintain this positive mood.
Sean will stress the importance of making real world connections, and how to make them.
It’s the age-old saying—it’s not what you know; it’s who you know. Connections facilitate success by giving you valuable advice, introducing you to more important people, and giving you new opportunities. Sean will also discuss the basics for making a connection. It’s important to always be in a positive mood, because you never know if that person who can change your life is standing next to you!
Sean will show the importance of real world etiquette and image.
To be successful in the real world, you have to act like you’re in the real world. Sean will explain the basic etiquette to follow when you make connections (conversational skills, following up with a person, having a business card, and dressing for success, among other things).
Sean Campbell’s presentations are 45 minutes long, and include a 10-minute Q&A session. Audience size is flexible. The presentation may be slightly modified depending on the specific age group of the audience. Visual aids for presentations include some of the materials Sean used to publish his book, as well as an accompanying PowerPoint slide show. Path to Success is happy to work with you and your school to fit your specific needs.
Please contact us if you would like to access a list of educators who have seen one of Sean Campbell’s presentations.