Published: November 18, 2005 10:01 am      

Bartoli encourages kids to make a difference

“Here’s the point kids, we all have strengths and we all have weaknesses,” said Tony Bartoli, motivational speaker who gave a speech on bullying to Woodward Middle School students in the school’s auditorium Thursday.

To illustrate a point, Bartoli called two student volunteers to the stage for a game of catch with a tennis ball. When students threw to Bartoli’s right side, he could catch the ball. When they threw to his left side, he couldn’t. Bartoli’s lack of coordination on his left side comes from a condition known as Hemi Plegic Cerebral Palsy that affects the part of his brain that controls muscle coordination and speech.

“I want you to look in the mirror every day and think that you’re special because you are. There is nobody else like you, and you’re really important,” said Bartoli.

Bartoli encouraged students to take a stand and make a difference if they see classmates being bullied.

According to Bartoli, 250,000 students a month report bullying across America.

“Eighty-five percent of the time when bullying goes on, there’s other students around that can take a stand and make a difference,” Bartoli said.

Bartoli said his personal experiences with bullying began in the fourth grade when one small group of students decided to pick on him because of his handicap. The picking and teasing continued for several years until one day, a fellow classmate finally took a stand.

“All the bystanders started getting involved. By the end of my freshman year of high school, there were 300 kids on my side,” said Bartoli. “If you see name calling, if you see someone hurting someone else, take a stand, just like those kids decided to make a difference in my life. You can do it.”

“It was very helpful for these kids to get to hear a personal story. Instead of just hearing from teachers and administrators about it, they got to hear an actual story,” said Britt Stevens, a fifth grade teacher at Woodward Middle School.

“It makes me think that people who get bullied should make more friends so they can stand up for them,” said Drew Pearcy, a fifth grade student at the school.

Bartoli’s underlying message was never give up. He told a story about what should have been an ordinary baseball game. When Bartoli stood up to bat, the ring leader of those same grade school bullies told the opposing team to move in, that Bartoli was up to bat. Bartoli said he knocked the ball he was able to get a triple. As he dove into third base, he got up and brushed off the dirt. That same ring leader was standing over top of him at the base. Bartoli looked up and said, “I’m not a cripple, I’m not slow and I’m not less. I’m a winner in life.”

“Never quit, never back down and decide that you can make a stand,” said Bartoli.

This is Bartoli’s anthem in life. Never back down. When Bartoli was born, doctors said he’d never walk. He did. Kid’s said he walked funny, and couldn’t do the same things as others. He proved them wrong. People said he’d never go anywhere in life. He went to college, and now travels the country as a motivational speaker.

“Getting to this point in my life has been difficult, but it’s been worth it,” said Bartoli.

As he travels the country, Bartoli encourages students to first think positively about themselves, then impact the world around them.

“On the count of three, let’s all spell the word courage together,” Bartoli told the students. “Did you know you can spell courage another way. On the count of three, everyone spell your name.”

“We’re all special in our own way,” said Lacie Smith, a sixth grader at Woodward Middle School.

“The younger we reach the kids the better,” said Bartoli. “It’s reaching into their lives and sharing with them about being different, that they can go and make an impact on other lives.”

“It’ll change the bullies mind because they’ll think how they would feel if it happened to them,” said Smith.

Bartoli will speak at other area schools over the next few days.