School Runnings · Students, educators and families
Motivational Speaker for Schools, Students and Educators
Three-time Olympian Devon Harris, an original member of the Jamaican bobsled team behind Cool Runnings, brings resilience, responsibility and teamwork to student assemblies, staff development days, parent nights and university events. Every program is customized for the age, needs and goals of your audience.
✓ Student assemblies ✓ Professional development
✓ Parent and family programs ✓ Colleges and universities
Students · Educators · Families
Who it's for
A Program for Every Part of Your School Community
Choose the audience you are planning for. Every program is customized for the age, needs and goals of the group.
Elementary and middle school
Yes, I Can!
See what is possible and turn big goals into small, practical steps, in an interactive program based on Devon's children's book.
Middle and high school
Own Your Future
Connect today's choices with the future students want, resist negative influences and recover from mistakes.
Teachers and school leaders
Push Together, Win Together
Collaboration, trust and educator resilience for staff kickoffs, professional development days and district events.
Parents and families
Raising Resilient Young People
Help parents build responsibility and confidence in children, without solving every problem for them.
Colleges and universities
Beyond Cool Runnings
The real Jamaican bobsled story, with lessons on courage, preparation and teamwork for student and campus events.
Why schools choose Devon
Students Know the Movie. Devon Lived the Story.
01
A story people remember
Millions of people know the Jamaican bobsled story through Cool Runnings. Devon lived it as an original member of the 1988 team, then competed in three Winter Olympic Games.
02
A framework they can use
His 3R System gives students and staff three practical questions for hard moments, simple enough to remember and practical enough to use the next day.
03
Built for your audience
From elementary assemblies to faculty development, every program is customized for the age, needs and goals of the group, using a prep call and a pre-event survey.
04
Funny, human and interactive
Stories, humor and audience interaction keep students and staff engaged, so the message lasts longer than the hour.
The 3R System
Own the Moment. Change the Frame. Win the Next Run.
You may not control every circumstance, but you can learn to control what you do next. Devon's 3R System turns that idea into three questions students, educators and families can use the next day.
R1
Responsibility
What is ours to own?
Responsibility is not blame. It is finding where your influence begins. Blame may explain what happened. Responsibility decides what happens next.
R2
Reframe
What perspective creates better options?
Reframing does not deny reality or change the facts. It changes what you are able to do with them.
R3
Reset
What must we release, realign and do next?
Resetting means learning from what happened without carrying every difficult moment into the next one.
Programs
School Assembly, Staff and Parent Programs
Seven programs for students, educators and families, each customized to your audience. Not sure where to start? Choose by goal.
If your goal is…
Possibility and goal-setting
Yes, I Can! →
Responsibility and better choices
Own Your Future →
Courage, resilience and teamwork
Beyond Cool Runnings →
Stronger staff collaboration
Push Together, Win Together →
Educator resilience under pressure
The 3R System for Educator Resilience →
Belonging and school culture
Different Strengths. One Team. →
Raising resilient young people
Raising Resilient Young People →
For students
Student Programs
Interactive school assemblies that help students see what is possible, own their choices and keep going when things get hard.
01
Elementary and middle school
School Runnings: Yes, I Can!
Helping students see possibility and turn goals into action
Sometimes the biggest limit on a young person is not ability. It is what they have started to believe is possible for them. Based on Devon's children's book and the journey of the first Jamaican Olympic bobsled team, this interactive program shows students that confidence grows through preparation, effort and progress. Age-appropriate versions are available by grade level.
Students learn how to
✓ Set a meaningful goal
✓ Break that goal into practical next steps
✓ Build confidence through preparation and small wins
✓ Track progress and adjust the plan
✓ Keep moving when things get difficult
Best for: Elementary and middle school students
02
Middle and high school
School Runnings: Own Your Future
Your circumstances influence you. Your choices shape you.
Growing up in Olympic Gardens in Kingston, Jamaica, Devon saw how circumstances, peer pressure and limited opportunities can steer a young life. He chose a path that demanded discipline, graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and earned a place on Jamaica's first Olympic bobsled team. Using Responsibility, Reframe and Reset, he helps students connect the decisions they make today with the future they say they want.
Students learn how to
✓ Take ownership of their choices and actions
✓ See how daily habits shape long-term outcomes
✓ Resist negative influences and peer pressure
✓ See education as a pathway to more options
✓ Recover from mistakes without letting mistakes define them
Best for: Middle school and high school students
03
Middle school to college
Beyond Cool Runnings
Lessons from the real Jamaican bobsled team
Most people know the movie. Devon tells the real story. Jamaica had no winter, no bobsled tradition and no proven pathway, yet the team made it to the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary. As a founding member, Devon takes audiences behind the Hollywood version to what the journey really required: courage, preparation, adaptation, teamwork and persistence, including the famous crash and what came after it.
Audiences learn how to
✓ Act with courage while still feeling afraid
✓ Use visualization to strengthen preparation
✓ Define success on their own terms
✓ Work with people who bring different strengths
✓ Recover after a visible setback
✓ Keep moving when the original plan no longer works
Best for: Middle school, high school, college and family audiences
For educators
Programs for Educators and School Leaders
Keynotes and professional development sessions that help school teams collaborate under pressure and stay resilient through change.
04
Teachers, staff and leaders
Push Together, Win Together
Collaborating for student success
Student success rarely depends on one exceptional educator. It grows when teachers, administrators, counselors, support staff and families move toward a shared purpose, which gets harder as workloads rise and change arrives faster. Drawing on military leadership and Olympic competition, Devon uses the four-person bobsled to show school teams how a shared goal, clear roles and trust move one sled.
Participants learn how to
✓ Align around meaningful shared goals
✓ Strengthen trust across roles and departments
✓ Communicate clearly when pressure is high
✓ Navigate disagreement without damaging relationships
✓ Break down silos and share responsibility
Best for: Teachers, administrators, support staff, district teams, leadership retreats and professional development conferences
05
Faculty and administrators
Keep On Pushing™: The 3R System for Educator Resilience
Own the moment. Change the frame. Win the next run.
Educators manage constant change, competing priorities, student needs, parent expectations, new initiatives and limited resources. Resilience cannot simply mean enduring more. Built on Devon's 3R System of Responsibility, Reframe and Reset, this program gives educators a practical way to respond when pressure, disappointment and disruption arrive.
Participants leave better equipped to
✓ Respond to pressure instead of simply reacting to it
✓ Separate responsibility from blame
✓ Reframe setbacks without denying reality
✓ Recover more quickly after difficult moments
✓ Focus on the next useful action
Best for: Faculty development, district professional development, administrator conferences, staff kickoffs and educator resilience initiatives
For families and the whole school
Programs for Families and Whole-School Communities
Programs for parent nights, family engagement events and whole-school gatherings that build belonging and resilience at home and at school.
06
Whole-school community
Different Strengths. One Team.
The power of belonging
Devon's journey has taken him from Olympic Gardens in Kingston to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, the Jamaica Defence Force, the Winter Olympics and life in the United States. Each taught him that different experiences do not have to pull people apart. The Jamaican bobsled team needed athletes with different strengths to learn an unfamiliar sport and work as one. This program helps schools build a culture where students and adults feel respected, heard and connected to something larger than themselves.
Participants learn how to
✓ Value experiences and perspectives different from their own
✓ Build stronger relationships through respectful communication
✓ Create places where students and adults feel they belong
✓ Put individual strengths to work for a shared purpose
✓ Disagree without disrespect
Best for: Students, staff, parents, leadership teams and whole-school events
07
Parents and families
Raising Resilient Young People
Helping children navigate pressure, setbacks and responsibility
Every young person will face disappointment, criticism, hard choices and failure. The real question is whether they will know what to do when it happens. Drawing on his experience as a father, mentor, youth advocate, Olympian and military officer, Devon helps parents build resilience in children, not by removing every obstacle but by helping them learn how to handle one.
Parents explore how to
✓ Encourage responsibility without blame or shame
✓ Help children learn from mistakes
✓ Build confidence without creating entitlement
✓ Reinforce preparation, effort and follow-through
✓ Support children without solving every problem for them
Best for: PTA and PTO events, family engagement nights, district family programs, parent associations and parent conferences
Devon's children's book
Yes, I Can!
As a parent of five, Devon knows how the right story can inspire kids to dream big. That is why he wrote the story of the Jamaican bobsled team in rhyme. Yes, I Can! tells children that the power to succeed is already inside them, through perseverance and belief in themselves and others.
The book is the heart of the Yes, I Can! program for elementary and middle school students, and it gives parents and teachers an easy way to keep the lessons going at home and in class.
Lessons for parents and teachers
“
So all of you kids who are in school,
Enjoy your lessons, for learning is cool.
And even when the work gets too hard, it seems,
Never forget to follow your dreams.
From Yes, I Can! by Devon Harris
Schools, colleges and youth organizations
Trusted by Educators and Youth Leaders
Columbia University
West Virginia University
Tulane University
Truman University
St. John's University
Siena College
Full Sail University
Creighton University
Moments from Devon's school visits
“
On behalf of the Alabama Community College System of Alabama, I would like to express our appreciation for your very informative and entertaining presentation. Your presentation was excellent and we received such positive feedback. We look forward to welcoming you back to speak in the future.
Jefferson State College
“
Devon's inspirational story of personal triumph and testament on the values of leadership were a perfect fit for our organization. His professionalism, positive attitude and friendliness served us well.
Oregon Trail Council, Boy Scouts of America
About the speaker
About Devon Harris
Devon Harris is a three-time Winter Olympian and founding member of the original Jamaican bobsled team, whose journey became known around the world through Cool Runnings.
Raised in Olympic Gardens in Kingston, Jamaica, he graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, served as an officer in the Jamaica Defence Force and competed in three Winter Olympic Games. He is the author of the children's book Yes, I Can! and founder of the Keep On Pushing Foundation. Today he brings those lessons to schools and organizations around the world in programs that are funny, human, practical and memorable.
His message is not simply “never give up.” It is: take responsibility for the moment, change the way you see the challenge, then make the next move. Keep On Pushing™.
Planning a school visit
Bringing a Motivational Speaker to Your School
Tailored to your school
Devon learns about your students, staff and goals through a quick prep call and his pre-event survey.
In person or virtual
Programs can be delivered in your gym, auditorium or lecture hall, or live online for remote and hybrid audiences.
Simple setup
Devon uses a short introductory video and slides. You provide a projector, screen, laptop and, ideally, a wireless lavalier microphone.
One visit, several groups
Talk to Devon's team about pairing a student assembly with a staff or parent session on the same visit.
Program formats
Student assemblies · Keynotes · Professional development sessions · Staff kickoffs · Leadership retreats · Parent engagement events · District-wide conferences · College and university programs
Customizable themes
Resilience · Responsibility · Teamwork · Belonging · Leadership · Goal setting · Change · Confidence · Persistence · School culture
School Program FAQ
What grade levels does Devon speak to?
Devon speaks to elementary, middle and high school students, to college and university students, and to teachers, staff, administrators and parents. Each program above shows the audiences it is designed for, and every program is adjusted to the age of the group.
Can Devon speak to students and staff on the same visit?
Many schools want to reach both. Talk to Devon's team about pairing a student assembly with a staff or parent session on the same visit.
Does Devon offer virtual school assemblies?
Yes. Devon delivers live virtual and hybrid programs, which work well for remote classes and district-wide sessions.
How does Devon tailor a program to our school?
Before the visit, Devon holds a prep call with your team and uses his pre-event survey to learn about your students, your staff and your goals, so the message fits your school and your theme.
Does Devon offer programs for parents?
Yes. Raising Resilient Young People is built for PTA and PTO events, family engagement nights, district family programs and parent conferences. It helps parents encourage responsibility, confidence and follow-through in their children. Talk to Devon's team about pairing it with a student assembly on the same visit.
Can Devon speak at a staff kickoff or professional development day?
Yes. Push Together, Win Together and Keep On Pushing™: The 3R System for Educator Resilience are built for faculty development, staff kickoffs, administrator conferences and district professional development days.
How much does it cost to bring Devon to our school?
Fees depend on the date, location and format, and on how many sessions you would like. Send your details through the form on this page and Devon's team will reply with availability and fees, usually within 24 hours.
Check availability
Bring Devon Harris to Your School or District
Planning a student assembly, staff kickoff, professional development day, parent event or district conference? Tell us your date, your audience and what you want them to walk away with. Devon's team replies within 24 hours with availability, fees and program options.
✓ Assemblies, staff development, parent nights and campus events
✓ In person or virtual
✓ Customized to your audience and goals
Comparing speakers for your school or district? Ask one question: what will our people still be using a month after the presentation?
Prefer to talk?
speaker@devonharris.com · 844-853-3766
School program inquiry