A message of hope came to the students of the Wrangell School District last week in an attempt to build self-confidence among the young men and women of the borough.
The duo of Bob Lenz and Arden “AJ” James brought that message to Wrangell on Friday, Dec. 2 to share an anti-bullying program for the students of Wrangell High School and Stikine Middle School.
“We really want to bring encouragement to people, teach about respect and valuing authority, and how to do the right thing when it comes to how people treat each other,” Lenz said. “It’s really about how they treat themselves and others.”
The events Lenz and James hold across the country focus, they said, on positive communication skills between peers and also with adults, promotion of family values, and respect for life.
The Friday morning session of Lenz’s presentation focused on students only, while the evening session combined parents and kids in a celebration of life and respect for others.
“It’s about a parent-teen connection,” Lenz added. “We share communication skills and uplifting things. We do this because we want to focus on life-promoting skills for the kids and their families.”
Arden, an Illusionist and familiar face around the major venues of Las Vegas and Hollywood, joined Lenz by providing family-friendly magic for the audience.
“There are so many reasons why I am involved in this project with Bob,” James said. “First, youth need to hear the message that he brings. They also need the positive message and the need is great because many times adults will dismiss the needs of kids in the sense of not giving encouragement.”
James added that it doesn’t take much to see a great outcome with the youth of today.
Just one positive word of encouragement can turn a kid around,” James added. “We have to keep reminding young people that they are valuable, and we have to keep telling them that message.”
And when it comes to the entertainment part of the event that James offers, Lenz has nothing but praise for his partner.
“Part of what we do features AJ as an illusionist,” Lenz added. “This guy is amazing and has opened for stars like Howie Mandel, Gary Shandling and Ray Romano. With his magic, it turns into a family event and people get to laugh until they cry. It’s with his performance that we get to connect to our audience and promote a healthy lifestyle.”
According to Lenz, the reasons behind why he has taken his message to students and families over the past two decades have roots in his own upbringing.
“I come from a great family, but had a pair of siblings with special needs,” Lenz added. “I had to come to some answers about my upbringing with them and how they were treated growing up. When I found out that 1,800 kids a day in America attempt suicide because of how they are treated in families and schools, and that 18 kids every day actually complete it, I knew I had to show them there is hope out there.”
Lenz said it boils down to one thing he hopes to leave with the families and youth of Wrangell – and beyond.
“Our biggest desire is to instill hope and teach people that although life has hard times, there is always tomorrow,” Lenz said.
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