There is an old saying: "The threat of execution sharpens the mind." The students at a high school I spoke at today proved that. I had been wondering why they were paying such close attention to my speech. I think I found the answer: Their teachers closely listened to my speech, took notes, and let the students know there would be a quiz! All 150+ of the students there were focused. My speech lasted more than an hour, but it seemed to be engaging enough to keep them interested. I think I am getting better at mixing humor, information, and lessons into my talks. I got very good feedback from the teachers. They were all shocked that the students were asking questions, they said they NEVER ask questions in class and that they have remained silent when they have had other guest speakers. So the teachers will study my speech to get tips to figure out how they can get the students to ask questions in the future!
"No matter who says what, you should accept it with a smile and do your own work."--Mother Teresa (attributed)