Houston Kraft, a professional speaker and leadership trainer from Seattle Washington left both Kennebunk High School, and Middle School of the Kennebunks with standing ovations after his candid, and inspiring talk on choosing love and kindness. The trust education program of the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust was pleased to work with RSU 21 to bring Kraft to speak as part of their mission to build a stronger community through education. “We were delighted to host Houston,” Said Tom Bradbury, executive director of the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust.

“We were impressed by his energy and enthusiasm, and inspired by a message of how we should interact with one another. A message appropriate not only for the young people, but for all all of us.”

Having worked with the Alternative Education programs at both schools, the Trust’s education program sought to make a larger impact at the upper level schools.

“They have enough classes to get through in the upper levels, we don’t want to add to that, and we cover that learning piece with our elementary program Trust in our Children,” said Leia Lowery, director of education at the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust. “We try to inspire a love of this amazing landscape, through Discovery Days, and our work with other programs for the community at large. We were looking for another way to inspire the older kids of our community to be invested in each other, and this place we live.”

Kraft touched on his own life, and fears in such a funny way to connect with the students, that when he got to the serious points, they were silent and fully engaged. His message of choosing love and kindness certainly resonated with the students as they cheered, asked meaningful questions, and posed for “selfies” with Kraft after his talk.

“As I talked with students after Houston Kraft’s presentation, they told me that they could relate to him because he really understood what was important to them and what their fears were,” said Fred Meyers, a teacher at Middle School of the Kennebunks. “Because of that, they took his message to heart and left the auditorium wanting to watch out for each other and to be more accepting of others.”

“He was just great, it was exactly what these kids needed to hear, and it is the perfect message especially before we go to Camp Keiv,” said KHS Principal Susan Cressey. “It addressed their fears and their concerns ”¦ it couldn’t have been better.”

“Quite simply, he was the best speaker we have ever had,” said Jeff Rodman, principal of Middle School of the Kennebunks. This was the sentiment from teachers and students alike.

More information about Houston Kraft can be found at www.houstonkraft.com, and those interested can find information about the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust’s education programs at www.kporttrust.org/education.

Trust in our Children is a program through the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust, a 501c3, whose mission is to reconnect youth with the outdoors through experiential learning in order to give them a sense of place and connect them to their natural landscape and build a stronger community.