Blog 1

 BLOG #2

In my public speaking class, we were assigned a project where we had to work in groups and present about a changemaker from the 2000s. James is my favorite basketball player so I felt super confident in presenting, I knew that thus will go smoothly I had a lot of confidence going into it. 

A changemaker is someone who uses their influence or success to make a positive impact on others. I decided to focus on LeBron James. At first I thought it would mostly be about basketball, but after researching him more, I realized that his impact goes way beyond sports. Working on this project taught me a lot about teamwork, research, and what it takes to present information in front of a class. I wasn’t completely sure how things would go. I usually prefer working by myself because group projects can sometimes be difficult if everyone has different schedules or different ways of working. But once our group started talking about the topic and splitting up the work, things became more organized. Each person was responsible for a certain part of the presentation, which made it easier for us to focus and make sure everything was covered.

Part of my role was helping with the slides and explaining why LeBron is considered a changemaker. While researching him, I learned a lot about his background and his life before he became famous. LeBron grew up in Akron, Ohio, and his childhood wasn’t easy. He was raised by a single mother and they faced a lot of financial struggles when he was younger. Even though life was difficult, he stayed focused on basketball and worked extremely hard to improve. Eventually he became one of the most talked about high school basketball players in the country.

In 2003, he was drafted straight into the NBA as the number one overall pick. Most people expected him to become a great player, but very few people thought he would reach the level of success he eventually achieved. Over the years he has won championships, MVP awards, and many other accomplishments. But what really stood out to me during this project was what he has done outside of basketball.

Through the LeBron James Family Foundation, LeBron focuses on helping students and families in his hometown of Akron. One of the most impressive things he has done is opening the I PROMISE School. The school was created to help students who might be struggling in traditional school environments. It offers support like free meals, transportation, tutoring, and even college opportunities for students in the future. Learning about this made me realize that LeBron isn’t just donating money to charity. He is actually creating long-term opportunities for kids who might need extra help.

Another interesting thing we talked about in our presentation was how LeBron has made an impact in media. He helped create a platform called Uninterrupted. The idea behind this platform is to allow athletes to share their own stories instead of always having the media tell their stories for them. Athletes can talk directly to fans about their experiences, opinions, and personal lives. I thought this was interesting because it shows how LeBron is helping change the way athletes communicate with the public.

Working on the slides was another part of the process that helped me learn more about presentations. We tried to make the slides clear and organized so the audience could follow along easily. Instead of putting too much text on each slide, we used images and bullet points to highlight the most important information. I realized that good slides can make a presentation much easier to understand.

Presenting the project in front of the class was probably the part that made me the most nervous at first. Public speaking can feel uncomfortable, especially when you know everyone is watching and listening. But after practicing and becoming more familiar with my section of the presentation, I started to feel more confident. Since I understood the material well, it felt more like explaining something rather than reading from a slide.

Another thing that helped was having my group there with me. Since each person presented a different section, we were able to support each other and keep the presentation moving smoothly. Watching my classmates present their parts also helped me stay calm before it was my turn to speak.

Looking back on the project, I think it helped me improve a lot of skills. It helped me practice researching information, organizing ideas, and presenting in front of an audience. It also reminded me that working in groups can actually be helpful when everyone contributes and does their part.

More importantly, this project helped me understand what a real changemaker is. A changemaker isn’t just someone who is successful or famous. It’s someone who uses their influence to help other people and make a positive difference in the world. LeBron James is a good example of that because he has used his platform to support education, speak about important issues, and create opportunities for young people.

Overall, creating and presenting this changemaker project was a valuable experience for me. It helped me become more comfortable speaking in front of others and gave me a better understanding of how one person can use their success to help others. Learning about LeBron’s story showed me that success isn’t just about personal achievements. It’s also about how you use your success to give back and help improve other people’s lives.