A very important presentation occurred this past Thursday at Ponderosa Middle School. Robert Hackenson Jr., an inspirational speaker for Dynamic Influence, knows how to keep a crowd entertained.
Hackenson Jr., for the past 10 years, has been delivering interactive and educational experiences to companies, universities/colleges and K-12 students.
Sponsored by the Ponderosa PTO, Hackenson Jr. visited Klamath Falls and gave a presentation on the dangers of vaping. Hackenson Jr. spent two days in town and first spoke to the PTO and other Ponderosa parents this past Wednesday before he shared to students Thursday morning.
Sixth graders first had the opportunity to hear Hackenson Jr. as soon as they got to school, followed by a presentation for seventh and eighth graders shortly after.
Hackenson Jr. was determined to keep his audience of middle schoolers entertained, and included various student interaction and pulled several Ponderosa students out of their seats to involve them in examples to help make sure they understood his points.
"Who here has been stressed? The stresses in this world will come. You are in middle school now, then you get even more stressed going into high school. You go to college and you are more stressed there. Then you get married and then you have kids. The stress will only grow and will increase. You guys have to know you are not alone in this and have to learn how to cope and how to find ways to spend your time other than being in the wrong crowd or situation," Hackenson Jr. said. "You can find a way to deal with that stress. Maybe you have a lot going on at home and it is difficult. You guys can make it through any situation."
Hackenson Jr. made sure to include various truths and facts to be aware of regarding smoking and vaping - such as the addiction and percentages someone can have if they have never smoked before and suddenly start, addiction for first-time smokers or if it is something which runs in someone's family. He included the example of 19-year-old, Claire Chung, who had been smoking since she was a young teen.
Hackenson Jr. told Chung's story and how much smoking effected her lungs. He showed a CT scan of a normal lung, compared it to Chung's lung and many Ponderosa students were left amazed by the difference and could not hold back their reaction and left in awe.
"The easiest part is to not start. Nearly 90 percent of all smokers started when they were teens. 35 million smokers try to quit each year and 85 percent of those relapse within a week," Hackenson Jr. said. "The average smoker spends more than a million dollars in their life on their addiction."
The vaping presentation only assured what seventh grader Joseph Waldburger has already set out to do for his life.
"The presentation was really good. I was already planning on never doing it (vaping)," Waldburger said.
