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'Live free, love a lot,' speaker tells students

By CHRIS ROBINETTE
Traveler Correspondent

Motivational speaker Mark Scharenbroich met the juniors and seniors of Arkansas City High School head on yesterday in spite of their collective senior-itis affliction.

"Keeping an auditorium full of high schoolers interested and motivated is quite a challenge," said Scharenbroich. But after seven years and 3,500 high schools, this challenge is hardly a new one.

Scharenbroich approaches it with an enthusiasm that pours out of his speech and shows its head somewhere between the animated facial expressions and jokes that he uses to bring his stories to life.

The stories ask the audience to consider two ideas that Scharenbroich consider essential to a productive life: live freely, and love a lot.

When Scharenbroich speaks of living freely, he speaks of becoming fully involved in life, especially in high school.

"I got a lot out of my high school years, because I was fully invested in them," says Scharenbroich.

According to Scharenbroich he spent his time with many different types of students during his high school years, and because of this, he "learned a lot socially."

Scharenbroich addresses the concept of "loving a lot."

"A little bit more love in the world; a little bit less hate," said Scharenbroich. He believes this translates into more acceptance of differences between students during the high school years.

His message shows in Scharenbroich's sons and daughters; one of his sons is in the military, the other a drummer in a band and his daughter currently lives in New Zealand "simply because its a different country," said Scharenbroich.

While Scharenbroich's speaking career began long before his children arrived, he says that their experiences did not leave his beliefs unaffected.

"(They) brought clarification to my message," he says, adding that they helped to redirect his messages.

Scharenbroich's messages do reach students, he says he'll hear from students who attended his speech on the Internet weeks or years afterwards. "That always means a lot," he says.

Scharenbroich sums up his message throughout the presentation, but perhaps the best phrase he uses is one which tells students to "leave the campsite better than we found it." Using the word "we" in place of "I"; Scharenbroich forms a common ground with his audience. By using this common ground, Scharenbroich preaches his message to these students; a message that he hopes will travel with them the rest of their lives.

Above: Emmy Award winner and National Speakers Association Hall of Fame speaker Mark Scharenbroich gets up close and personal with Arkansas City High School juniors and seniors Wednesday.