What Would Les Do?

I’ve learned a lot of lessons in my life. Some I have learned, forgotten, relearned, forgotten. . . you get the idea.

Last week I did an Arbor Day program for a group of fourth graders. The kids sat through three speeches full of facts and figures. Things like how much storm water a tree can absorb, how trees can lower energy bills, how many trees were planted during the year, etc. One speech was given by the Mayor, another by the Principal, and the third by the City Forester. I was to be the fourth speaker. Looking at my note card all I saw were more facts and figures.

Walking across the stage, I looked at the crowd of fourth graders. They were restless, there was a little talking going on, and most of them had that glazed over look in their eyes.

Then I noticed one little boy with a shaved head holding his head in his hands. For whatever reason that reminded me of this story. That made me think of Les Morrow who is Cliff’s brother. Les is a GREAT storyteller and thinking of Les prompted the question, “What would Les do?” Yeah, I don’t know how my mind works either.

When I got to center stage, I asked the kids if they would like to hear a story. There was a resounding "YES". I ripped up my note card and told them a story.

Here is the Readers Digest Condensed Version. There once was a young forester who planted trees around a pond that was in located in the middle of nowhere. The pond is now close to their school. The pond didn’t move but development including their school took place. I talked about how the young forester had gone back every few years to look at those trees and watched as apartments, houses, shopping centers, and even schools went up around the area. How the young forester went back when a park was being developed around the pond and trees he planted. And how that forester, who is not exactly young any more, still goes back every once in awhile just to watches people in the park enjoy the shade of the trees.

Then I told them I was that forester - yeah, this is a true story. The whole story took about ten minutes. When I was done, hands went up across the auditorium and we spent another ten minutes answering questions like:
How old were you when you planted the trees?
How big were the trees when you planted them?
How tall are they now?
Does anybody living around the trees know you planted them?

It was a lot of fun - so much fun that I almost forgot to give the Mayor the award.

Yesterday the teacher who arranged that program called to thank me again and to let me know the kids are still talking about my story. She also said her class wanted me to come back and talk with them again. She told them I was really, really busy and didn't have time. Before we hung up, I freed up some time the first week of May to return to her class.

So what was the lesson I relearned? Sometimes, probably most of the time, a good story will get the point across much better and be remembered far longer than all the facts and figures in the world. It also helps to know your audience.

Thanks Les.