The Doorman

Here's Josh holding the door.

Josh Yandt was just one of those students. He'd been bullied throughout his life, even after his father died. So, there was more than the usual amount of trepidation when the family decided to move to London, Ontario. CLARKE ROAD SECONDARY SCHOOL was a much bigger school than Josh had attended previously. Plus, it was high school and he was a teenager, not the best combination.

But on the day he started attending, Josh decided to make a brand new start. He'd no longer be bullied nor hide his personal light under a bushel. He'd be known and recognized from the very start.



What was it that he did differently? He opened doors. By opening doors and saying kind words to his peers, he opened doors in many other ways. He created a new spirit at school, recognizing others, getting to know the other students, establishing friendships. But his new friends were doing something else, too. They were becoming kinder, too - picking up dropped books, greeting each other, smiling. It was such a better atmosphere at school.

And then one day came the prom; it could be a nightmare of rejection, but it wasn't. Somehow the students recognized that something special had gone on here. So, when the votes were tallied, Josh Yandt had been voted prom king. He was also voted most outgoing student. All because he held the door open and greeted his fellow students.

All of this has made quite a difference in Josh's life. You see, now he's more outgoing. And that shy young lad who speaks with a bit of a lisp has become a speaker. He now tells his story to students at other schools, promoting an atmosphere of inclusion. One simple act - opening a door - opened the door to a better life, both for Josh Yandt and also for all the other students whom he met along the way.

Josh with Principal Paul Panayi and the good wishes of fellow students.

Thanks to this article from Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/22/opening-doors-teen-bullying_n_6526220.html?ir=Impact&ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000054, and this one from CBC News: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/student-with-bullied-past-the-doorman-graduates-1.1395441.

Click here to visit Advance Website Submitter Software.

Click here: ELITE TREND TRADER