John Earle of La Harpe was the featured guest speaker for K-8 Red Ribbon Week at La Harpe Elementary and Junior High.
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John Earle of La Harpe was the featured guest speaker for K-8 Red Ribbon Week at La Harpe Elementary and Junior High.
Earl was born in Keyport, New Jersey and was an all-state football player in high school, an all conference performer and an all-American candidate at W.I.U. in Macomb where he graduated.
After college, he was drafted into the N.F.L. by the Cincinnati Bengals. He also played for the Kansas City Chiefs along side Joe Montana, and for the St. Louis Rams.
Earl and his teammates won The Grey Cup (the Super Bowl of the Canadian Football League) while he played in Canada.
John met his wife Josie (Apt) while attending WIU. They have three children, Alexis (8), Alexandria (5), and Stone (2).
After playing 5 years of Professional Football, John elected to go into fulltime youth work with "Team Impact" and Sportsworld. As a member of Sportsworld, John speaks in High Schools all around the country. John also serves as an assistant football coach of the West Prairie/LaHarpe Cyclones.
John has a gift for relating to young people.Ê He and his wife Josie are a powerful part of the La Harpe Union church's ministry team.
John's theme was putting into practice the "words of wisdom" and "the words of encouragement" which you receive from your mothers and fathers, from your teachers, from your coaches and from other caring adults in your community. They are the ones who care most about your futures.
He told the students to "Give yourself an opportunity to reach your goals and dreams.... If you fall that doesn't mean you have to stay down or give up..... Get up and try again."
He told the students, "Remember that nobody is going to hand you your success, you have to be willing to work hard to achieve your goals."
Eliminate the words, "can't and impossible", from your vocabulary. Instead put into practice "words of wisdom and words of encouragement". Do something with them.
He encouraged the student to write these words in their hearts: "I know I can be what I want to be. If I work hard at it, I'll go where I want to go."
Don't believe the biggest lie about drugs and alcohol. Remember the truth, "They are not good for you!"
