PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONFLICT RESOLUTION CONFERENCE CENTER RESOURCE LIBRARY NORM AND EMMA
Students' Comments
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 21:28:49 EST
Norm~
Just thought I'd email you man and tell you I had a great time at the assembly today. I thought what you said was not only ensightful but hilarious. So did my friends. I was a bit skeptical at first b/c all those assemblies are usually boring but yours was the exception. Thanx :)
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 17:15:26 EST
Subject: Speech at Abington
Dear Norm,
Hi! My name is Molly McDermott and I am 15 years old. Today i heard you speak at an assembly at Abington Senior High. I just wanted to tell you that it was without a doubt the most inspirational speech I have ever heard. Not only did you educate me about a handicap I knew little about, but more importantly you taught me a very important lesson, and that is do not judge someone you do not know, or as you put it, "learn the story of the stranger". That was such a powerful statement and made a huge impact on me. I just want to thank you for teaching me that. It is something i will carry with me for the rest of my life. By the way, you are a wonderful story teller! Very funny and entertaining! Your positivity is contagious! Keep up the amazing work and thank you again, for you are an inspriration to me to be myself and love who I am! Thanks a million!
Sincerely,
Molly McDermott
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 14:24:52 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Hi !
hi, my name is Tim, i attend Abington Senior High school. You spoke to the 10'th graders at my school. That was a great speach. Your a funny guy. I know it must be tough living with a disability and i think you did a great job explaining to us how life actually was for you living with it. I liked all your jokes and I think that if you want to play baseball, try out http://www.candystand.com and click on baseball. I know it's not the real thing, but it's fun. They have home run derby and batting practice games their. Good luck in the future and keep informing kids on cerebral palsy. It's a great thing that your doing.
see ya,
Tim
ps: I'm glad you can have sex.
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 17:27:00 EST
Subject: Hello, I'm from A.S.High and wanted to let you know....
; Hey Norm! I'm Amanda Talarico, sophmore, from Abington Senior High School, in Pennsylvania. I loved your speech today. As I was listening to you talk I got a shot of confidence. I speak on behalf of everyone when I say, you ROCK! Never have a seen that whole auditorium listen to the person on stage. Usually half of the people in the room are sleeping 5 minutes into assemblies. But you captivated us. I guess it was b/c you talked to us about things we could relate to and it wasn't a crock of crap. A lot of people I talked to raved about how cool you were and how much they wish you'd come back. I think you really opened up a lot of our eyes and made us realize that we don't need to feel sorry for people that have disabilities. So, Thanks for an awesome speech! And thanks for sending at your message the way you did. I'll never forget you!! And, if you ever get to come back to our high school, please do! Thanks again!!
Amanda Talarico
P.S. You rock!!! Subject: Thank you from Sahuaro High School
Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2000 22:54:17 EST
Norm,
Thank you for coming to our high school and speaking to us about your disability. I personally have seen and heard many speeches about disability's but I personally know that yours was the best I ever heard. I like the way you taught us about you and how you deal with your disability with a comedy them. I saw both of your shows at Sahuaro and after hearing it once then hearing it again I learned something new and more helpful to me on how to treat people with disability. At my school we have many students that have a disability and I have always been afraid to talk to them but after hearing your speech I now feal more conferrable about talking to them everyday. I am in band and one of the members is a great friend to all the disable kids so he helped me get use to them and to help them get use to me. I feal more conferrable at school now because I now know how to talk and to look at all the kids at my school. I told my family about how great your personation was and they now know also how to treat people with disability. Again I would like to thank you for taking the time to come and talk to us at Sahuaro.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Hughes
Sahuaro High School
Tuscon, AZ Subject: i enjoyed your talk at Abington High School
Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2000 15:20:46 EST
I just wanted to tell you that i enjoyed your talk at Abington High School the other week. It really inspired me.
Bill
Abington High School
Abington, PA
Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2000 18:10:35 EST
Subject: Hello
Dear Norm, Hey!! My name is Kate Bedoford and im 15 years old. You spoke at my school last week and I thought your speech was amazing. I can't believe your sprit and that way you live your life. Your such an inspiration to me and I wanted to personally thank you for what you have done. When you were speaking my friend and I started to cry because we realized that all throughout our lives we have never been able to understand other people and their disabilities. You taught us that a person with a disability is still a person. You taught us that it was okay to treat them normally. But over all you taught me about life. I've have gone through a lot my self in my life time and the things you were saying about finding out the story behind the stranger really opened up my eyes. To be honest I have always judged people just by first appearances and ever since you spoke at my school I've felt ... well inspired and im changing the way I look at people. So I wanted to thank you and say that I really enjoyed your speech. Your a great person and someday I hope I grow up to be just like you. Thanks Norm.
-Kate Bedford-
Date: Sat, 18 Nov 2000 19:57:51 EST
hi - i saw norm speak at Abington Senior High School. i just wanted to say that it was absolutely wonderful. my friend and i were sitting in the front row, and by the end we were close to tears. i loved the comical twist on things. but it was really inspiring and interesting. i wish you the best of luck.
kelly
Date: Sat, 18 Nov 2000 14:24:00 -0500
Hey Norm,
I am a student at Abington Jr. High School. You spoke at my school on November 16, 2000. I think that it is great that you overcome so many obstacles throughout your life, and how you inspire others w/ disabilities to do the same. When you came to talk at my school I thought it was going to be another dumb assembly that I would probably fall asleep in, but I was wrong. You were very comedic and full of life. I appreciate that you took time out of your schedule to speak to us. Thankyou.
Sincerely,
Rachel
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 15:17:45 EST
Subject: hello
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hi norm, thursday the 16th you gave a speech at my school, abington high school. this speech had a great affect on me. because i have always been trying to fit in with all the cool kids. and recently have started to think that no one is actually cooler then some ome else. so i have the same outlook for every one that i kknow, be them black or white, jewish or christian, if they speek english or not. but your speech today made some thing click in me. not how to treat people with dissabilties, but how i should look at life. i know that there are challenges every one must face. but your speech just made it easier to get along with them. and i know you said today about how people would B.S. you about stuff like when they said hi and how they would act like they know you, but i am writing this because you really moved me with that speech. and i hope you can reach a lot others.
Greg Cleary, 10th grader at A.H.S.
Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2000 17:57:28 EST
Subject: hi
Yesterday I had the priviledge of hearing Norman speak to Abington Senior High School. I am a sophmore there. I found out yesterday morning that we would be having an assembly. I was excited not only because I could do the homework that I forgot to do but also because I got out of gym! I got to the auditorium and took out my notebook ready to get started. I never got a chance to actually do my homework. This was the most meaningful assembly that I have ever been to. When I first heard Norman talking I thought that he was the funniest person that I had ever heard. I really liked how he made me feel like we had so much in common and about how he connected with every person in that room. When we were leaving, I saw people walking out with tears in their eyes and when I asked them why they said that they felt so connected to him and realized that everyone is alike deep down inside. I felt the pain that Norman went through when he was talking to us. For the rest of that day no one in the school could get over how kind and funny Norman was. I just wanted to say thank you for doing this. It really meant a lot to me.
Maureen
Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2000 15:52:21 EST
Subject: hello
Hi Norm my name is Amanda and I am writting in response to when you spoke at my school, Abington Sr High School, just a few days ago. I felt your story was really great. I was very happy that you took your time to speak at Abington. It was really fun to listen to you. Me and a few of my friends talked about your speech later that evening and figured out this...Not everyone in that room may have felt the same way but we feel you helped us realize that we make fun or laugh about peple more then we know. We figured that if we mean it or not the person still has feelings. We learned that calling someone a bad name doesn't get you anywhere in life. We learned that we should be nice to everyone and treat people equally. The day after me and one of my enemys found a way to make up. I found that after a long time of fighting you seem to forget about what you were even fighting about in the first place.
You also helped us learn that we should be ourselves and peple should like us for who we are. People spend so much time trying to be cool and popular, you dont get to enjoy your own life. Instead you live a fake life trying to be like someone else.
Thank you for speaking at my school. It was fun listening to you . You really brought out the best in us. Thanks.
Love Amanda and Annie
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 21:28:15 -0800
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Subject: Fwd: hey Norm
Hey, I am a 16 yr. old girl from Abington, and i just wanted to say that i think you are an amazing person to get up and speak about the things that you did! I have never met anyone like you, you are the kinda person that we all need in us... thank you for everything you tought me in just 45 minutes!
nicole.
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 13:49:01 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Assembly at Abington Sr. High
Dear Norm...
Hi. My name is Jen Arbuckle and I am a sophomore at Abington Sr. High School. I was one of the many sophomores present at the assembly you spoke at today. I had a great time listening to you tell your story and I just wanted to let you know that. I know that you do these speakings and hope to reach someone and I wanted to tell you that you reached me. Im not a person with a disabililty but I understood where you were coming from about not being included in things. The thing about your speech that really got to me was what you said about fighting the voice inside your head and learning the story of a stranger. Those two things really inspired me and I hope that in the future I can think like that and I hope others can think like that too so that our world is a better place. Anyways, I just wanted to tell you that I had a great time listening to you today and that even if you didn't reach all those kids, you reached me.
If you want to write back to me you can. You dont have to write me back, but feel free if you want to.
Sincerely, Jen Arbuckle
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 21:27:58 -0800
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Subject: Speaking session comments
My name is Christine and you recently spoke at my school Abington Sr. High School in Abington Pennsylvania. I was greatly moved by your speech. My mom is a special education teacher and I was exposed to various disabilities at an early age and I view them in a different light because of my mom. I was moved very much by your speech and I feel that people with disabilites, as you said, do not need pity. They are just like the rest of us, except that something went wrong and now they have one more unique characteristic like the rest of us. I have never heard such a powerful speech before, and I hope that you continue changing lives for as long as you can, because I know that you did change mine and a few of my friends also. Thank you very much, you don't know how much of a help you were.
Sincerely,
Christine Costello
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Subject: Fwd:
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 19:13:47 -0500
you had a great show at abington. you really knew how to break the ice and put on a good show. i will try to take what you said to heart and pass on the knowledge.
Thanks for coming to abington,
Gary Stanley Jr.
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 21:28:22 EST
Subject: (no subject)
Dear Norm,
Today you visited my school ( Abington Senior High) and I was really touched by your presentation. The subjects you talked about really hit hard to home. You made me think about a lot of important issues. I really appreciate you taking out some of your time to talk with us. You made me realize how special I am. Thank you for everything.
~~ Courtney Fenstermacher
PS>> you are HILARIUOS!!!!
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 20:32:22 EST
Subject: Mr. Kunc came to my school and said we could leave some comments if we wanted.
it is amazing how well you react even with your disability. you are a great person and you should enver change. actually you just came to my school today. Abington Senior High? your presentation was fantastic. it's amazing how you cope with being disabled. i don't think i could deal with the problems that people with disabilities face. in a way i guess you can say your a "rebel" you are a great person and you didn't let the problems you faced in your life change that. evrything you said today was true and you are respected for that. anyone who doesn't respect you are horrible people. i really appreciate you coming to our school and explaining what peopel with disabilties face. you opened up my eyes to the world and many other people as well. keep on doing what your doing and this world will be a much better place. and what you said about the voices in your head is true. i face that everyday. you are a great man Mr. Kunc. don't let anyone tell you any different.
Thank you for your time,
Gerry Szewczak
Abington Senoir High School
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Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 19:32:54 EST
Subject: i loved your speech!
Dear Norm,
You're speech was amazing, I give you so much credit for speaking in front of so many people, because I know I sure couldn't. And I really loved to listen to what you had to say, you had an impact on me, even from only about an hour. Your sense of humor is SOO great and I just wanted you to know how great I think you are, thank you for coming to Abington Senior High
School. Bye!
Always,
Nikki X-Sender: normemma@mail.island.net
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Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 16:03:57 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Hey!!
Hey Norm!!
How are you? my name is kelly Bebian. I am a 10th grader at Abington high school. And today you spoke at my school. I was so touched by what you had to say. It made me cry. ( and dont' worry it wasn't out of pity ) I think you are a very funny, intelligent person, with a lot of great morals. You have now become one of my role models in life. Because of they way you look at the world. I wanted to thank you for taking out time to speak at our school. I know you helped a lot of kids at my school today. And they all appreciate it. Thanks again! And I hope to hear for you soon! bye
Love always,
~ Kelly ~
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Subject: Abington Sr. High
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 18:43:50 -0500
hey......i go to abington senior high school where recently Norm Kunc has spoken at...i would just like to say that the assembly today was one of the best that i have ever been to... i wanted to thank Norm for coming out here and talking to us -- i know his speech was very inspirational to me and im sure to many others..I hope that Norm will come back to talk with us!!! well i have to go...
*Caroline*
Subject: Hello~ I am a student from Abington Senor High
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 19:21:51 -0500
Norm~
Hello, my name is Kaitlyn. I just wanted to let you know how amazing your assembly was on Thursday. At Abington we don't get to experience assemblies such as today's. You touched each student in a different way today. After that assembly that was the topic of conversations all throughout the day. We are a hard crowd to get to laugh but for you it was easy. I was very surprised at that also because my classmates and I are a bunch of tuff cookies! You really helped us to relax more and understand people will a disability. I have many friends that are disabled that I take time off and tutor and now, after your guidance, I will be able to feel a lot more laid back. I look up to you and hope one day I'll be able to get the courage to go up in front of 100's of high school kids also! Thank You!
Best of Luck~ Kaitlyn
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 19:05:09 EST
Subject: hey
my name is josh garner from abington high school... i really enjoyed your presence at he high school and want to thank you for a great show.... norm you were real... you spoke the truth and i enjoyed that.. when you were speaking i could only focus on what your were sayin and that is hard to get from me.. most poeple cant ever get my full attention btu you shure did!! i wish i could have met you face to face you seem liek a really cool guy... i also enjoyed ti saoo much becuase you were funny as hell!! but keep it real norman... write back if you can cya... josh
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 18:12:15 EST
Subject: hello
hello, my name is josh blum and i currently attend abington sr. high school. i just wanted to say hi to you and that i really enjoyed the presentation you put on. i really enjoy it and aside from the jokes and funny cracks which i didn't mind, it was a very good presentation and story. i have an aunt who has CP and my best friend julie has CP. though julie's case is very minor she was still born with the disability. Again i really enjoyed the presentation and learned a lot about the disability and how to act and treat people with this similar disability or other disabilities. thank you for your time and i would love to hear from you sometime soon. i would really like to keep in touch and learn more about what you have to say.
thank you again,
josh
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 15:12:02 EST
Subject: hey norm
Hey Norm,
My name is Steph. I saw your assemble at Abington today (november 16th) and I really liked it. You are one funny guy. I just wanted to tell you that you are my rolemodel!!! Your beliefs are great and you are now offically a person that I look up to.
Steph ~
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 15:31:17 EST
Subject: your talk
Hi my name is Shoshana and I go to Abington Junior High School. You came into my school today and spoke and I thought it was really nice. I liked how you said to make it better not for ourselves or for you but for our children... And hearing you I would deffinetally want to make a difference and improve our society to make everyone feel like they belong. Thank you for coming to our school and I hope you affected my classmates as much as me.
Sincerely,
Shoshana Rosen
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 12:33:42 -0800 (PST)
Subject: THANK YOU
To Norman,
I found your speach at Abington High School to be amazing! It really was excellent. I wish that my entire school could hear you speak. I do have one question to ask you that you didn't say, is is difficult for your kids because you're always on the road? Again thank you for your outstanding speech!
Sincerly,
Matt Magida
Abington, PA
Subject: Abington Senior High
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 16:13:13 EST
Dear Norman,
I just wanted to say thank you for coming to Abington Senior High today.
I thought that you were so amazing. I think that it is unbelieveable that you are able to do the things that you do because I know people that have cerebral palsy and they are not able to do half of the things that you are able to do. I love the way you think optimistically about everything in life and your great sense of humor. I enjoyed your speech so much. Thanks again!!!
Sincerely,
Carly Ackerman To: <normemma@normemma.com>
Subject: Abington High School Speech
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 16:31:22 -0500
Dear Norm,
I just wanted to thank you for coming to Abington High School. Your speech was very moving and you said some inspirational things. You are also a very hilarious person. I agree with many things you said about arguing with the voices in your head and about how people find a common enemy and be someone who they are really not just to be accepted by others. Your speech has made a tremendous impact on me. I just wanted to thank you again for coming to our school and speaking to us.
-Thank you
Sincerely,
Matt Ambler
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 16:42:56 EST
Subject: thank you!
My name is Sara ,and i was at Abington when u talked on the 16th and i just wanted to tell you that your talk was absolutely amazing and that it was
really really inspiring. Keep up the good talks and I know from experience
that my school doesnt usually pay that much attention at assembly's but today i was really shocked at us. Not one person took their eyes off of you while u were on stage ive never seen anything like that! once again thank you for the honor of hearing you talk .
Sincerely
Sara Kalasunas
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 17:05:39 EST
Subject: (no subject)
hi, my name is kristen, and i go to abington senior high, where norm talked today (nov. 16). i really liked it. usually when we have assemblies at school, they're about boring or stupid stuff, like all the things we're not allowed to do or what we did that we shouldn't have or somethign like that. i thoguht that it's great that u come out and talk to so many people. it's really interesting, because it's not something that many people know or think about. i really liked that u could make jokes and things throughout the time that u spent with us. most speakers don't do that very much. i've heard a lot of people with disabilities talk, and they're not as good as u. u really know how to reach people. by making them laugh and talking like it's just to them. it's really great. things like that really interest me, and really enjoy listneing to what people have to say about life and things that happen. i think that it's really important that people know about things, and the only way they will is by havign people like u come out and talk about. so many people try to hide and cover up things instead of opening up and explaining them. it's really important to talk about it or else people just won't understand it, andthen they get false ideas about what's going on. it takes a really strong person to be able to go out and tell people things and talk about what they might not want to talk about. it's really great. i have to go now, but as i said, i'm really glad u came to school today. it touched a lot of us.
thanks,
kristen
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 17:24:32 EST
Subject: Abington Student
Hey my name is Jenn Fulmer and i attended the assembly today 11/16 that you guest spoke at. I found your stories to be very interesting and informative. I think many of us kids underestimate the will power of disabled people, but by your speach many minds have changed. You spoke in a way that made everyone feel confortable around you. Thank you for speaking at our school I think it made a lot of people wake up and realize that disabled people are just like everyone else, and should be treated in the same manner. thanks again! ~Jenn Fulmer Gr.10