Christ School Guest Speakers

Political figures from both sides of the aisle have been invited to speak to Mr. Crawford’s AP U.S. Government and Politics students this school year. 

Congressman Chuck Edwards represents North Carolina’s 11th district, which covers 15 counties in the state’s western mountains. The congressman not only spoke on campus Friday but brought letters of congratulations for each Greenie senior. 

Did you know that the youngest mayor in North Carolina governs a town that borders the Christ School campus?

Preston Blakely came prepared to talk about his political rise to the leader of Fletcher, N.C. He also clearly knew his audience Wednesday when addressing the boys in St. Joseph’s Chapel.  

“I think you all are rock stars, to be honest,” Blakely said.

“I know that I’m in the presence of the greatest minds, the most amazing athletes, and most of all what is universally true for all of you, the leaders of today and tomorrow.”

Blakely, 28, was born in Asheville and grew up in Fletcher, which has a population of roughly 8,000.

The mayor said that he feels local government is the most tangible kind with real issues that affect people’s daily lives, including property taxes and the effectiveness of services like the police and fire department. He always had an interest in civic duty and first ran for office in 2019 when he was elected to Fletcher's town council. They may not have similar aspirations in their future, but Blakely encouraged the boys to exercise their right to vote when they turn 18.

The mayor's visit was part of the “Lift Every Voice” Speaker Series, now in its second year at Christ School.

Christ School was lucky to discover Chris Singleton back in 2019.

These days, Singleton is so in demand that he is on the road 140 days a year, sharing his message of resilience, faith, and unity with schools, churches, and corporations, as well as professional and college sports teams.

Singleton returned to campus Wednesday, as part of the new “Lift Every Voice” speaker series.

Six years have passed since the mass shooting at Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, S.C., which claimed the life of Singleton’s mother, Sharonda Coleman-Singleton.

Singleton told everyone in St. Joseph’s Chapel that he has forgiven the man behind the shooting, Dylann Roof, even though Roof has never apologized for his racially-motivated acts. Forgiveness, Singleton explained, is setting himself free from having to carry around the burdens of prejudice and hate.

Singleton said that vivid memories of June 17, 2015 help him through his “struggle points.” He also delved deeper into the meaning of unity, telling the Greenies that true unity is understanding that behind every person’s opinion is a story. Either that person has been taught to believe something or experienced something firsthand that shaped their belief.

Singleton compares resiliency to the tough, hard surface of a golf ball which is able to cut through the wind. And he has found meaning in the scripture of Romans, which says to rejoice in suffering for suffering builds character and character builds hope.

Singleton spent time with Christ School students in smaller groups after his talk and will return for more discussion Thursday.

The 25-year-old is a former minor league baseball player in the Chicago Cubs organization and speaks to more than 60 organizations annually. One of his children’s books, “Different – A Story About Loving Your Neighbor” was a best seller in its category and has been championed by numerous organizations, including the Barack Obama Foundation.

Lift Every Voice is a first-year series intended to introduce Christ School students to guest speakers from different professions, backgrounds, and experiences.

National Poetry Series winner Jon Sands shared some of his finest work and insight into his creative process during a two-day visit to Christ School.

Sands, who is active in New York’s arts community, came to campus as part of the Godwin-Hauser Visiting Writer Program.

He has authored two well-reviewed collections of poetry, The New Clean and It’s Not Magic. Sands is also co-host of "The Poetry Gods" podcast and a curator for "SupaDupaFresh," a monthly poetry series at Brooklyn's Ode to Babel venue. His work has been featured in the New York Times and anthologized in The Best American Poetry. He has received residencies and fellowships from the Blue Mountain (N.Y.) Center, the Brooklyn Arts Council, the Council of Literary Magazines and Presses, and the Jerome Foundation.

Sands gave a 40-minute reading Monday night in Pingree Auditorium, followed by a question-and-answer session. He was introduced by Max Redic ’20, and much to the delight of the all-school gathering, incorporated Durant Long ‘22 into the performance. The poems that Sands shared with the Greenies were largely comprised of his takes on adolescence.

“I can’t think of a time in my life that was more transformative (than high school),” Sands told the boys. “There are no four years where you transform more.”

Sands said he takes pride in his authenticity and putting his thoughts into words “unearths all the masks I wear.” Greenies had a chance to interact further with Sands on Tuesday as he sat in on four classes and held a poetry workshop with the staff of Christ School’s “Struan” literary magazine.

The Godwin-Hauser Visiting Writer Program was created in 2012 and has since brought some of the country’s best literary talent to Christ School. The program was made possible through an endowment seeded by Col. William Hauser ’50 and author Gail Godwin, who spent time on Christ School’s campus as she wrote a book about an all-boys boarding school.