Nationally Recognized Author, Speaker, and Leadership Strategist, Dr. Laymon Hicks, visits CHSAA Office

In what would seem to be nothing more than great timing, Dr. Laymon Hicks stopped by the CHSAA office on Tuesday, to visit with assistant commissioner Rashaan Davis. Dr. Hicks, who is from Florida, is in Colorado to speak with students and staff at Manitou Springs High School.

Dr. Hicks is the author of multiple books, including: ‘N Laymon’s Terms…Words of Wisdom and A Treasure Chest of Motivation: 8 Jewels of Wisdom for a Young Adult’s Success. He is also a youth motivational speaker who focuses on overcoming bullying, increasing student performance in-and-out of the classroom, and taking personal responsibility for actions (among others). To add to his resume, Hicks received his Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership and is currently a part-time professor of leadership studies at the University of Southern Maine.

Davis and Hicks have a friendship that goes back nearly a decade, to Davis’ time as a student leadership teacher and adviser at Highlands Ranch High School. They met at a national leadership conference and from that initial meeting, Davis knew that he had to have Hicks at his school. Dr. Hicks presented at Highlands Ranch High School to a student body that immediately found strength and purpose in his message.

 “Get up, get out, and get after it.” 

“It was the right person, with the right message, at the right time for our kids,” Davis said. “There were tears of joy, a great deal of laughter, and some mindsets were shifted by his presentation. During his visit to HRHS, I can remember him having a dance party in the hallway during a passing period. The kids just fell in love with him. He spent the entire day on campus, just talking with kids and adults about how to create their own success, understand their why, and to enjoy life. When you find a person who can relate to a large group of kids, some who were struggling with things that we didn’t know about until after his presentation, you know that person must be in your circle.”

Since the two of them connected, Dr. Hicks has worked with schools across Colorado. He presented at a CHSAA Fall Conference, hosted by student leadership adviser Lindsey Welsh and Arvada West High School, which helped to cement his message in leadership programs across the state. In a quote from his presentation Dr. Hicks says, “Get up, get out, and get after it.”

We look forward to sharing the Manitou Springs High School student perspective on Dr. Hick’s visit to their campus later this month.