Read some great letters from the kids!

Dear Scott:

Your presentation to the students today was one of the most powerful events I have seen at the school. As a parent of an 8th grader at Lab, I was extremely impressed by your passion and incredible ability to reach these kids (and parents) on a very visceral level. Your story is a great one of redemption and rebirth. It was an honor and privilege to hear you today. Your words will echo in our house for years to come. I wish you only the greatest success and thank you for the gift you have given the children, myself and my wife, and our community.
Best regards,
S.A.

I wanted to tell you that you changed the rest of my life...you are my inspiration to stop smoking weed...i never thought smokin a little would mess up my life but i now i realize it affects my life soo much...but thanks to your presentation at somers HS ; i made a vow to myself to stop...you made it cool to stop..instead of me looking up to how 50 cent acts, now i think about you b4 i am about to drink or smoke...after your presentation i couldnt stop talking about you to my friends who dont go to school with me....i will never forget you...when people ask me who my heros are i say Tupac and Scottie Rock....holler back i'd like to here from you....Much
Love,G

Dear Scott,
im recently went to teenwork 2003 and seen your presentation there. My name is krystal , i'm 16 years old and live in stockton (san joaquin county). i was at the general session you did and i was so...overwhelmed? i dont even know how to explain it. there are not enough words to thank you...i dont know what happend in those few days..but something did, and im glad. i had seen other numerous speakers but never one like you. you have a gift...one so special words cant..explain. im so happy i got to meet you thanks a million..K..p.s....eyyyyyo...aight.:-)

dear scott,
thank you so much for coming to my school (locust valley) today. after your presentation i talked to my friend xxx (who was doing drugs) and she decided to stop with my help. u truely made a huge difference in her and my life. and of course iv thought about doing weed, or trying it, but now i know that it is soooo bad and it will only get me killed. thank you so much i think it is a great thing that you are doing..teaching kids the affects of drugs and alcohol i think you are a wonderful preformer and a caring person. and i loved your movie "malcome x." u gave me and my friend, xxx, your signature and i have it in a frame on my wall and it will always stay there. thank you, you are my hero. you are a wonderful and talented person. you changed me and my friend's life for the better! thank you!! it is greatly appreciated. i hope you come back to Locust Valley school again soon!
LOVE, d ..............p.s.-- write back if you have time. thank you!

dear Scot,

Today a wall collapsed, an emotional barrier that had been carefully constructed for 16 years. This barrier controlled my feelings, moods and attitudes. I didn't know how to express or let go. I couldn't find a crack in the wall.

But like an angel sent from heaven you did. It is crazy how you can ; all your life....try and find yourself, try to understand the emotional pressure, try to feel what is really there and try to express yourself.

Then one day a stranger walks into your life and completes the puzzle .

I learned more about myself in those two hours then I had learned all 16 years of my life. My life has now been blessed , I feel power , control and freedom....thank you !

You are truly a hero! Thank you Mr. Robinson . Thank you for getting back up after every fall. Thank you for sharing something so deep with complete strangers. Thank you for taking my hand and leading me . Thank you for letting me be a part of your life . Thank you for caring for , listening to and loving me .
I have your words engraved in my mind . I have your story tucked safely away . I have your voice and your eyes memorized ....and with all of those I carry your presence .
The feeling I got when I threw my arms around you and cried to you..... How did you do it?
How did God create such a magnificent person , with such passion. It is hard for me to express your significance and how I feel about you .

When you walked down the aisle of our school gym , I saw wings . Not just the wings of an angel but of a savior , teacher , friend and hero . I may have been just one out of those hundreds of kids there . But I was touched and changed , you were talking to me and I heard you .

Through my life I walk , I walk to my future......... but please know sir , that when I look back , your footprint will be there . Not just because you helped me or listened to me , but because you changed me Thank you again , my life will never be the same .

Good luck to you and God Bless you ,
Love your friend, Kat

HELLO MY NAME IS A. OF SAINT RAYMONDS HIGH SCHOOL FOR BOYS. YOU JUST SPOKE TO ME AND MANY OTHER FRESHMEN AND SOPHMORES OF THE SCHOOL. I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT YOUR LIFE STORY CHANGED MY LIFE. ME AS A 15 YEAR OLD , I AM BEING MADE FUN OF BECAUSE I DONT WANT TO TRY DRUGS. BUT ONE DAY I GAVE INTO IT AND TRYED IT. THEN AFTER THAT I DID IT A LITTLE MORE.THEN I WOULD DO IT EVERY DAY. UNTIL YOU CAME THE DAY OF OCTOBER 15,2002. YOUR WORDS CHANGED EVERYTHING. YOUR WORDS HELPED ME AND SUTHED ME. I NEED GUIDENCE AND YOU GAVE IT TO ME IN A WAY. YOU MADE ME THINK ALOT SINCE THAT DAY. I DONT WANT TO BE A PERSON WHO NEEDS DRUGS TO GO THOUGH EVERYDAY LIFE. THANK YOU. PLEASE EMAIL ME BACK AT ---- I WOULD REALLY HELP ME TO HEAR WHAT YOU THINK..

Dear scotty Yo scotty whats up man i recently attened the RBI world series in chicago i am from philadelphia pa..man all i gotta say your prestaion was amaseing i never felt for someone as i felt for you..you really opened up my eye to life..cuz we are surta in the same boat u were and inspireing actor on the rise and i am a great baseball player with a bright futere tell yeah the truth i was thinking about takeing my first puff the night you came to talk to us but after that i was like no i am not letting something stupid like that stop me from makeing the big bucks and from something i love to do with my father being a recorved acholic i see how important life is..and when u were telling your story i was off the edge of my seat it was amaseing and i love how you get everyone involvled and how you tell your story is so amaseing i am like this guy no what he is talking about you know i been in prestaions lie ktaht before ppl telling me dont do drugs but theye nbever been in that situation specially being from the city its harder not to try it but everytime someone passes me the puff puff i think of you speach and think of my futere and i am like no i aint gonna let this get me down i would just liek to say thank you for changing my life and many of the kids who were in that room thanks again scotty r. m. from philadelphia pa RBI PHILLIES 2002 3rd in the nation

Dear Mr. Robinson, I can't even articulate in words how completely and totally moved I was in hearing your presentation at LangLey High School. I had heard that you were a very powerful, charasmatic speaker with an extraordinary message, but I had no idea how amazing, how passionate, how personal and how completely engaging and riveting your words and actions would be. I am the mother of four sons, one in college, two at Langley and one in elementary school. Both of my older sons have been involved with "substances" and one is seriously "at risk."

I went to your first presentation on Thursday and was so impressed and so connected that your words brought tears to my eyes many times. My freshman son heard the first presentation and when I talked with him about it, he remarked on how many kids around him were crying. You obviously touched the souls of many of us, young and old alike. We both told my senior son what was in store for him on Friday, and I told him to listen as though you were speaking just to him. I knew he would understand every word you said, and I was so hopeful that he would be able to "hear you." I was compelled to go again myself on Friday. I just had to hear it all again. You might imagine my suprise to see my son pick up a chair and squeeze it into the front row. He never took his eyes off of you.

I want to thank you for your words, your actions, your feelings, your candor and your method of relating to young people. While I was very curious about what you would have to say, I thought that it would apply to my older two sons, but not to me. In fact, it was of incredible benefit to me because I have been, like your parents and Jackie, only seeing the strengths and accomplishments of my children. I have known there was a darker side that had been completely enveloping my second son, but I let my "love" for him keep me from really seeing the "truth," and taking the really tough steps a real parent must take. It felt so much better to think that nothing was wrong, that this was just normal teenage experimentation. During the last four months, I have finally realized ( extricated my mind from the powerful denial which made me feel that everything was really okay) that "I can never give up" with my son, and have had to muster every morsel of strength to confront him, remove him (to the extent I can) from "his crew, his "squad", and try to recapture him. It has been the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. Everything I must do goes against every grain of my nature.

Your presentation gave me extraordinary hope, because almost every day I struggle with how to tame the powerful, monstrous pull of substances for him (he began at twelve). Our family has had countless "wake-up calls" but I didn't want to heed them. It hurt too much to admit that this was happening in our family and especially to my brightest, most loving , and most caring son. Besides, he convinced me there was no problem, and that he wasn't doing anything that "everyone else wasn't doing," It's just that he was doing it differently. I know that now, and I know what that means.

I can't thank you enough for every single word, every single gesture, every single cry of emotion, because you were talking to me, and my son. And, I'm sure you were talking to others in the room as well. I do believe that it was possible that you could have reached my son with your story. I know you reached me and have given me the strength to continue trying to confront the power of drugs and alcohol in my son's life. The "pull" is so strong, but I have told him "I will never give up!" Thank you for letting him hear your awesome journey to hell and back to the joy of life. I do believe the kids also think "they can handle it" and so it begins, fostered and nurtured through "friends," until your purpose becomes singlefold. My words, my love, my persistence, my desires, my hope would never have the meaning or strength that yours did. You have walked the walk, and you were talking the talk. Thank you --I hope my son hears your words, admonitions, wisdom and hope echoing in his mind. You are truly an extraordinary man with an extraordinary message.
VW Presentation at Langley High School

Dear Mr. Robinson,
I recently attended the RBI world series in Chicago where you came and talked to us. i am not a substance abuser, but i do have friends that are on the brink. your seminar really opened my eyes and made me realize that i need to step into their lives and do something about it. i just wanted to let you know that i deeply appreciate the messages that you gave to us. for every kid in there that was asleep there were 20 that were on the edge of their seat. i dont think that any other person could pour their heart out as strongly as you do. your program is one of the best i have ever seen, and being a graduated senior i have seen a lot. i think that personally you did more than just open my eyes about drugs. you strengthened my faith in Jesus, i felt the presence of God in that room and feel that you were brought into this life to do exactly what you are doing. may God bless you in all that you do.B.H.

Vision Warrior" Program a Success
by Kaitlin Stanford
For many Panas students, the Vision Warrior assembly that took place in April was quite simply the most beneficial school presentation ever given within our school walls. Led by the actor and former addict Scot Robinson, the assembly evoked strong and passionate emotions, of not just anti-drug sentiment, but the overall concept that life should never go unappreciated. "I think that that was one of the most productive assemblies Panas has ever had," commented Junior Adriana Cavallo. "People were talking about it for days. [Scot] was very real and didn't sugarcoat how cruel the real world can be, and he opened up a lot of people's eyes." For Scot Robinson, the success of Vision Warrior is the combination of his life's talents and failures, to create something positive; a carefully crafted mixture of both his acting abilities and the recounting of his most harrowing experiences. Clean for nearly eight years, Robinson has pledged his life to educating others with the lessons he took so long to learn himself. When he speaks, he goes beyond the obvious and gets to the very core of what drugs to do a person's mind, body, and soul; slowly taking them over, and killing them, until they are only a shadow of who they once were. Today, Robinson has spoken to thousands of people across the nation-- young and old, users and non-users-- all who no doubt leave his seminars deep in thought. While Vision Warrior is now a major part of his life, Robinson originally began speaking to people at the suggestion of a rehab counselor.
"[I was asked if] I'd be interested in speaking at a freshman orientation program at the Institute of Technology in Long Island," said Robinson. "When I finished my speech all the students came up to me, some with tears in their eyes crying, wanting to talk to me about their struggles...in that moment I knew this would become my life, my mission my vision!" Yet in truth, Panas would never have seen or heard of the program if not for Senior Jeremy Redleaf, who spent four months trying to persuade the administration to back the presentation."I thought it was a really powerful presentation with a really important message," said Jeremy. "Every time we have an assembly at school I watch as everyone talks and completely disregards the speaker...I made it my mission to bring Vision Warrior to our school, because I knew people would actually listen to what Scot had to say." After going to Ms. Setterstrom and then Ms. Strauss about the program, Jeremy eventually turned to the community to fund Vision Warrior, after he was told that the school had no money for this kind of presentation. A grant was given to Panas from the Lakeland Education Foundation, and private Donations were made as well. An author named Any Tobias, along with other private citizens, gladly helped Jeremy's cause. "I thought the presentation itself was a success," said Jeremy. "scot really knows how to control a rowdy crowd. It was incredible to see all the Juniors and Seniors in our school absolutely silent and focused on Scot. The applause he was given was genuine and I could see that kids wanted to talk to him. Afterwards, I went with Scot to three classrooms and he was able to get kids to open up about stuff they'd never talked about." Following his visit to Panas, Scot says he received nearly 100emails from our students-- some of whom told him that Vision Warrior changed everything for them. In one email, a student commented that when he heard there would be a drug assembly he thought to himself, "Great, another one of these". Yet what he found when he listened to Scot, was that he was hearing something completely new and different, something life altering. The student went on to thank Scot for "teaching me what others could not", and providing him with a new prospective. Robinson's own satisfaction with the response to Vision Warrior is no doubt a driving force in his aim to keep clean and sober himself. Just as he does in his presentation, Scot likens his own life to a 'vessel', which he may protect or destroy. He states that our own decisions determine whether or not we make ourselves strong and unsinkable, or weak and easily led astray. "I take it one day at a time," says Scot. "And like everyone, there are good days and bad...but the voice of addiction that haunted me for so many years has now become the occasional whisper...You can't make yourself vulnerable. Like anything in life, you must work at it and be devoted to maintaining your standard. God helps me everyday!" Robinson's crusade against the drug epidemic is undoubtedly fueled by its merciless nature, which he sees as an invasive force, corrupting the innocence of America's youth, and claiming casualties everyday in a war that never ends."As one who is on the front lines," says Scot. "...I envision it as if I am winning this terrible war, [and] that I am truly making a difference...I have faith that the effort of all the people trying to make a difference will prevail."

Dear Scottie, A few months ago, you came to speak at my school, in Santa Cruz ..and to put it bluntly, you changed my life! On Feb. 22 I almost killed myself from drinking too much. I went to a concert with some friends expecting to have a good time, but ended up drinking way too much for my body to handle. I was puking on the bathroom floor uncontrollably and passed out unconscious to the point I had stopped breathing. Luckily, a woman gave me CPR. My friends, pretty drunk as well, but sober enough to think, loved me enough and were smart enough to call my mom and tell her what happened. My mom came rushing down to the Catalyst (where the concert was) and got me out of there. My puked up, crusty hair stuck to my sweaty face as pale as paper, and my frail, and completely limp body was carried out by my brother into the car. My mother drove frantically, not knowing what to do, where to go-crying and slapping my face violently. She knew I needed to go to the hospital or I might not live. When we got to the hospital, the nurse struggled to get an IV in my arm-I was flailing and screaming, (without my knowledge, I don't remember this for the life of me) then finally they pinned me down and taped the IV tube all the way down my arm to my wrist so I wouldn't rip it out. They tried their hardest to avoid pumping my stomach because it is so traumatic, so they were pumping saline solution and potassium in me. I finally awoke from my sleep confused, ashamed, and so, so sorry for what I had done. I cried a lot with my mom and sister by my side. The doctor then came in, after a long wait for his presence. He said I had three times the legal limit of alcohol in my system, about ten shots of hard alcohol as well as some marijuana which had enhanced it a lot. I had chugged the alcohol in such a short period of time, and on top of it, I'm a pretty little person. It was all just too much for my body to handle. That night was probably one of the worst nights of my life, (although I wasn't conscious for almost the whole thing), so I guess it was the day after and the few days to follow. Both emotionally and physically, I felt like shit. The next day I felt like my insides were going to burst, I almost wanted them to just to get the pain to go away. And then I also felt like to biggest jackass, I felt like I had lost the trust of all the people who are important to me in my life. I though I had ruined my friend's nights, and that there was no way that I could make up for my horrible judgment. I talked a lot with my parents, siblings, and friends and started to realize what it was that I needed to learn. It was a huge turning point for me in my life, although it wasn't the most graceful way of doing it. I have learned so much from that experience and am so lucky to have such amazing people that love me unconditionally in my life. They never stop believing in me no matter what my actions may be. And when I first met you, I knew that, with no judgment, you felt the same way as well. You hadn't even talked to me one on one, and without a question, you said you loved us all, and I knew you meant it from the bottom of your heart. You came and talked to my school a week or two after my "incident", when my feelings were still fresh and unstable about it all. What you said really, really inspired me and touched me at such deep level. I felt like I had known you all my life and you were my god, or goddess guiding me through my troubles. I was so thankful and blessed to hear your vision. Your words brought me to another level of my healing process and gave me a vision as well. I came up to you after your speech and wanted to tell you how amazingly touching it was, but my throat swelled up as if a bee had stung it, and I could feel the tears well up. I couldn't get any words out and I didn't want to cry, I just wanted to hug and thank you so much. I could tell that you understood my feelings and you gave me a hug and told me that I could write any time I wanted. I don't know how to thank you any more, I just wanted to tell you that what you're doing is an amazing gift to so many people, so appreciated and a true blessing. So thank you, from the bottom of my heart for being so honest and loving to all those people that you have touched. And if you ever come back near Santa Cruz, let me know, cuz I want my whole family to be able to hear your beautiful vision as well. Thank You again, and remember every day to put a smile on your face. Blessings,HB

HI, I'm a student from ..........School on Long Island who spoke to you about a speech I had to make about my cutting at a retreat for seventh graders. You probably don't remember me. I just want to let you know that my speech went well and I've may have reached a few people. I give you a lot of credit. I realize now that its not easy to talk in front of kids around my age and get their respect and attention. You definitely did that ... forcefully but it was all out of love. I don't think I ever came up and spoke to someone who gave a speech at school, but yours moved me. I want to thank you for giving me you attention and caring when I came up to speak to you. Some people might look down on the lows that you reached but I give you ten times the admiration for persevering and living to tell about it. I wont forget it. From, Michelle

Scot

I just wanted to say that you are one of the best actors and story-tellers that I have ever seen in my entire life, having been to nearly 20 Broadway shows and community theatre performances. You seem to mix the perfect amounts of your feelings of fear, lonliness, excitement, and so many other emotions. I go to Hudson Catholic High School in Jersey City..you visited us on the 8th of April, 2002. After listening to your story and feeling your pain so to speak, I was really suprised to go to a geometry class and hear a kid ask someone else if they had trees or pills. The way you relate to people my age is really amazing. Even though I have never bothered with drugs of any kind, including alcohol, I got one thing out of your story, and your comments. I realized that I want to act, and be on a stage, or be on peoples screens. I've always wanted to teach and to be a lawyer..but I always knew that I didnt want to be behind a desk all day long, and your story made me realize that..i guess acting is my own lighthouse. I guess that's really what i wanted to say..and again, you are an amazing person with a n amazing story to tell, and I think anyone who had a mind would listen to you. And has "Vision-warrior" ever been in New York..off-Broadway i mean, or are there any plans for it to be? If I have off on the day you come to North Bergen High School, I'll definatley be in the audience. Thanks so much for sharing your story with me and everyone else. Greg, 15,

Dear Scott,

I want you to know that 3 years ago I was at your presentation in Westbury at W.T. Clarke H.S. I was seriously giving much thought to ending my life. Then I was giving much thought to begin taking drugs to help me get more energy. I heard your talk and got slapped across the face by reality. I don't know what I would have done without your talk that day. I don't even know if I would still be here. From your talk I gained the reality of the situation is that the best high you could ever get is the high from LIFE! You used the "ship" as a representation of life. And Scot oh has my ship been rocked in troubled waters and broken, but it has not been damaged enough to damage me totally. I am now a freshman in college at Marywood University, and I am majoring in Social Work, so that I can better the life of a child. But no one could have given my life a better message then yours. Thank You so much. Keep it up! I will never forget you. Carolyn

hi. i'm a student @ hastings high school.

i just wanted 2 let u know that ur story really touched me.
I also wanted 2 let u know that I've heard alot of ppl talk about quitting, because ur story had so much impact on their lives.
I thought ur presentation was amazing! Thanks so much for ur time! A.S.

Dear Scott,
I am really glad that I had the opportunity to see you at my school on November , 2001. You are a great influence to everyone, and a hero to me. You represent that anything can be accomplished, and it feels really great to see a successful survivor, because very unfortunately my uncle lost his life because of drugs. I want to wish you the best of luck for the rest of your life, you are a great person and I will never forget you and I really admire you. Love, E. B.

Dear Scot,
Thank you so much for that great assembly you gave today at my school which is Massapequa High School. I really enjoyed and I am certainly not embarrassed to say it had to be the best drug and alcohol assembly I have ever seen. Your words and experiences left me mesmerized and with an attitude of what drugs can do to you. IN the beginning of your assembly you said how we were role models for the 9th graders in Ames well I beg to differ. You are the role model for you had a serious problem and overcame it and showed people what REALLY happens when you do drugs. Some people look up to sports ?Heroes? And movie stars and musicians I look up to someone else.

He's someone who shows people that life is tough but you have to deal with it someone who has experienced more downs in his teenage career than ups. I am proud to say that you are my role model and the best one anyone can have. I tank you so much and only hope you have affected others lives the way you have affected mine. You are a great person and should be proud of what you've done. If I can volunteer with you or anything like that I will be very much much willing to. I have had problems with friends and rugs and suicides and alcoholism in my family so if there's anything I can do please email me Thank you so much!!!! Love and thanks, M.M.

Hi Scot!
How are you doing? I attended one of your presentations that was in Saratoga Springs, NY. I think that it is great that you take your time to talk to young people. I'm sure you're aware of this, but you really do reach to kids my age and penetrate our minds. I sincerely enjoyed listening to you speak.
It wasn't as if I was listening to a teacher lecture me, but more of an equal. There is something about the way you speak, you compel the crowd and they all listen. When you opened by portraying an addict in a jail cell and you pretended to hang yourself, the whole room was completely silent. All 374 people were immersed in the scene and it was the loudest silence I've ever heard. You truly are a gifted actor. You seem to be so at peace with yourself and who you are and where you are in life. I hope that one day I can achieve that state of mind, cause like you had said, I feel as if I have to know exactly what I'm doing every day and then for college and then as my career and my life isn't the vast ocean journey, but a rigid trip itinerary. I'm sure one day I'll learn this serenity, which will only come in time through my own life's experiences, but I just want you to know that you have influenced me in a positive way, regardless. By hearing you speak, metaphorically speaking, it's like you're the North star on my own ocean course. You've illuminated the way and given me direction and that's the part of the reason you do this I'm sure. You undoubtedly have succeeded in that endeavour and I'm certain that there are thousands of kids who feel the same and they will in turn influence others all because a "star" has shone on so many of us. So, basically, I guess I just wanted you to know how much what you do is appreciated.
Thank you! :o) ~J. 16,

Hi
Recently you visited our school at Grosse Ile, Michigan to talk about drugs and how they affected your life. I want you to know that I was extremely impressed with everything you talked about with us. I think you were the only speaker who has ever taken foot into our highschool and left with a lasting impression. So many students, including myself, were deeply affected by your words and even had a little strike of reality. I am proud to say that i have never used drugs before, and i am not planning on doing so, but i am faced with the pressure of just taking that one hit and also watching my friends think to themselves "oh this one time wont hurt". I dont understand why they do that. I know some kids who do it just because they think they will become "popular". But in real life, there are so many people that lose respect. I know that respect is something that when it is lost, it is extremely hard to gain back. But sometimes i even find myself beginning to become curious, of how drugs are and how they affect you. But after hearing you and knowing all the trouble your curiousity caused I will promise you that i will never try them. I know that might not mean much to you considering you dont even know me, but if you did know me then you would understand that i never break my promises. To get back onto the topic, i wanted to let you know that you caused a great difference in a lot of students way they interpret drugs. From the teens that do drugs every day, to the teens that never even tried it, we all obatined a better understanding. I thank you for that. Also, i wanted to let you know that your strength that you showed the small town of Grosse Ile was felt. Thank you so much for coming. Good luck with what you are doing nowadays (acting etc)... I hope your father is doing better. I will add him into my prayers. You are a great person keep using your determination,
K. C. Sophomore, ******** High School

Dear Scot,
I am a sophomore at ***** High School and did a MAGNIFICENT performance today at my school. I can safely say that your performance was the ABSOLUTE BEST assembly my school has EVER had. We get other peeps who talk to us about drugs n stuff but they have NEVER done anything like that to reach out to us. What they talk to us about, most kids already know but today you taught me a lot of stuff i never knew before. To honestly tell you the truth, the most i have ever done was smoke cigarettes and i got drunk once. I NEVER tried pot and i dont plan on trying it or anything else. (especially after today) I see what my friends go through and how they act out at night and when i see them it just makes me want to do it less and less. I dont smoke cigarettes and I dont drink and im proud of that. And also i think that it is AMAZING how you went through all that stuff and actually had the courage to come out and talk to young people like us. You should be very proud of what you did today at my school and I want you to know that your performance is the only assembly that actually made the students think about what they are doing. Thank you very much fr reaching out to kids.
Sincerely, Lisa 10th grader @ E.R.H.S.

Dear Scot,
You just gave me the most incredible experience of my life. You just presented Vision Warrior at my school. I left the room completely speechless and in tears. What you're doing with your llife is absolutely awesome. Even though I know that confidence comes from within, for what it's worth to you, you opened my eyes, my ears, my heart and my mind. You were so powerful. I approached a friend of mine after the assembly and what she said put a smile on my face that I thought I should share with you. "Oh my God, Meg, Me and Christy were gonna go smoke right now, but not after that guy." I gave her the biggest hug I've ever given. That's the most amazing thing I've ever heard coming out of an assembly. Usually we're so bored of being talked at that nothing gets through, but the way you kept us going was like something I had never seen before. What you're doing is so brave that it's beyond words. I want to thank you from the deepest possible part of my vessel. And I want you to know that what you said will stick with me for the rest of my life. Keep doing what you're doing, it IS helping.
Thank you. M. M.

Dear Vision Warrior,
I am a counselor at a drug re-hab for teens in Tucson Az. A few weeks ago the kids in our program and myself were fortunate enough to catch your show at the University of Ariz campus. I would just like to take this opportunity to say how impressed our kids were with your show. Several of our kids graduated from our program this week and stated how they were more apt to stay clean due to the powerful messages in your show. Keep up the great work and please come back to Tucson. See you in the Movies.
Sincerely, T.L.J.
PS Where can I get a video of your show for our clts who are new?

Hi
It's been a while since the "Leading the Way Safe Spring 2000" which was the last I've even seen you. I haven't emailed you before just so you know although I actually think it would be cool to do it regularly. When I first got your email address from you I thought it was a neat thing to have but I didn't really plan on using it because I didn't think I'd really ever need to. Im happy to say that I, personally have kept away from gateway drugs such as marijuana...even cigarettes because of your conversation with everyone that day...and I dont need to be talking to. I call what you did a conversation because you were incredable with interaction with your audience and I felt in no way lectured by what you had to say. I do though, feel that you are my friend. A distant friend, one that doesn't need to be there holding my hand in a tough situation or patting me on the back for making right choices because you actually give me strength through everything I see and do. I see your commercails almost daily and all I can think of is how much you must have helped people and how much people must look up to you. The other day I was watching your commercail and I must have been really concetrating on it because my little brother looked at me and said "do you know him?" I told him that I did. Then I told him alot of your story. I was amazed how he paid so much attention to what I was saying...and what you had said to me. Im hoping he too will be touched by the story. Before I end this email I'd like to know something, will you be back at Skidmore college next year? I think that it would be wonderful.
Love,V.S.

Hello Mr. Robinson. My name is M.H. and I attend ***** School in Locust Valley. During the course of the school year you gave a presentation about your life and its affiliation with drugs. I have tried weed but I mostly drink alcohol. Since your presentation I have cut down,but I did begin to start up a bit and then something happened. I saw you on MTV. You did a commercial and it reminded me and since I have watched myself. I just wanted to say keep up the good work.
M. H.

Hi my name is C. C. and i am 14 years old!! i experinced your lecture to the 9th grade students at ****** school Ames Campus today. I have never tried drugs before (truthfully) i have NEVER !!!And after hearing your presentation i don't plain on ever trying them!!!!! I am not the most popular student in my grade and that is fine with me, especially if being more popular will give me the pressure to try drugs. I just wanted to let you know that you are doing a great job in teaching us the concequences in drug abuse!! You don't give us an average speech, you get involved and you entertain and make us interested in what your are telling us by relating to us and finding common ground between us!!! You give us the strength to say NO when it comes to drugs, and you make us feel like someone cares about us!!! For someone that doesn't know any of us you show lot's of love. and i thank your for giving me the strength to keep my drug free life the way it is DRUGFREE!!!
w/ love and support christina c.(9th grade student from ames campus)

Dear Scot
I just wanted to say thank you for your presenatation today. I am in 9th grade at ******* HS Ames, and thought you were inspirational. I have had a lot of pressure with smoking weed and drinking, but after hearing you I know that it is just not worth it. And because this is my first year of HS i know I will be faced with many difficult decisons in the future. However, i know I will be alright and really make something of my life after listening to you, and never let drugs and alcohol stand in my way. I liked your analogy of building up a life for myself, by building a ship. I understand all the challenges ahead, and that building a strong vessel will keep me on track. If you could have the courage to overcome your problems, and do something so wonderful with your life, I know i can too. I look up to you with a lot of respect and admiration, and view you as a role model. The way you made your presentation was excellent. Rather than lecturing us, you actually showed us what you went through, and the emotions you faced. Although many kids may brush all that off, you really got to me, and many other kids. Your words made those who do these drugs feel stupid. When you were showing us the effect of drinking, i felt stupid because i used to drink alot, like you, to fit in with large groups of people. Now i know there are alternatives to that. I will always think of you in the future, good luck in all you do and I hope you continue to reach out and touch so many kids lives like you have mine. Thank You!
Always A.B.

Dear Scot,
I just wanted to personally thank you for your performance. I admire not only the amazing turnaround you made in your life and what you chose to do with your "second life", but also your wisdom and confidence. What impressed me the most with your performance was that you engaged everyone. I really felt that you saw each individual and included them by talking directly to them. You also were extremely accessible to everyone. Even though I have never tried heroin, I completely understood all the emotions you felt and could even understand how you got to that point. You really made me just want to sit down and have a conversation with you about anything and everything. I feel you have so much wisdom to share because you understand so clearly the things that each of us struggle with every day just by living, and are so able to articulate the things that most of us can't even identify, much less explain. Thank you so much for sharing your experience and wisdom with us. I am looking forward to seeing you next week.
With Admiration, A.S.

A Poem I wrote for you!

You were sent to me from up above
Although I was a stranger you still showed love.
And we knew
That is would be you
To change my life
In just one night.
While searching for the emotional healing
Came the deep feeling
I had during your speech.
I wanted to understand everything you had to teach.
Wanting to blossom like a flower,
My insides were starting to devour.
The talk we had
Relieved the emotions that were sad.
Releasing my pain
And shedding tears like rain
There was no way to explain
What happened that day.
To end this let me say
I thank God for you
And for everything you do.
Love J. :)

Hey Scot its Dave from ***** high school the kid who wants to do computer programing i checked out the site its nice for some reason it wouldnt let me veiw the commerical but other than that its cool somethings I was thinking about why we want you to come back every year like this cause hasp really enjoys the after performance descusions also your performance did more for us than a year of d.a.r.e did like your performance connects with us cause it gives reason why we should make certain decisions also the performance is a great lead into the after descusions and then the descusions bring a one on one with you such as this like me emailing you and talking it all just works really well i think you did a great job with it and i cant wait for next year! ill definately talk to you more thanks again peace man!
-D.P.

Dear Mr. Robinson,
I'm not the type of girl at all who would do drugs or drink or anything like that. But I have a best friend who just started getting into smoking weed. It's really scary that she would do that. She lies about how often she does it and now she says she wants to try some drug called hydro. Yesterday I had a very long phone conversation with another "straightedge" friend of mine about this. It is so ironic that today we had what I thought was just another boring assembly but what turned out to be a really motivational, touching one. Everything you talked about-the pressures and everything is all what I spoke with my friend yesterday. I can honestly say that that assembly reached out to so many people and made them really think about drugs and alcohol. I just read on the drug free website that you said you didn't not die by accident but that it is your "purpose" to teach us kids about the straight facts about all this. The fact that you opened up and told all of us the details of your life really touched me. I met you at my lunch table today and I really wanted to tell you all this but I was surrounded by a couple friends that started using drugs very recently and I felt really weird saying it around them. I'm glad I'm able to tell you this now though because that assembly was on my mind the whole day. It made me think about my best friend who is doing drugs. Your assembly even made me tear a little because it is like everything you were saying about those pressures are exactly wut is going on in my mind. Thank you so much for coming to Whitman and I'm so glad you did because I know you made a difference in many peoples thoughts.

Hi. You spoke at my high school today and I wanted to say you were really amazing and your story really touched me. The way you described your experience with drugs was so vivid and it made me feel like I was there. It made me seriously consider the consequences of doing drugs. Just this weekend, I was planning on trying weed for the first time but your story made me see things in perspective. Seriously, mad props for cleaning up your act, man. When you were describing how terrible you were feeling internally, but on the outside you acted like you were chillz, I could utterly relate to your feelings. I act like that all the time. Inside, there's so many problems and mad stress but I have this facade and I'm always happy and crazy when I'm with people. I'm starting to get better at that though.
I hope you get to influence many people just as you have influenced me. Good
luck with everything that you do. Peace out.
Kat

Dear Mr. Scot Robinson,
Today you visited our school....*******High School...and I would just like to say that your presentation was very moving. My best friend/neighbor moved to this neighborhood in sixth grade and he seemed like a smart and niceperson. I became friends with him but immediately he fell into the wrong crowd. I didn't see him as much on the weekends and I grew suspicious of his new friends. I confronted him and questioned him and he responded by saying, "Sure we're hangin out and smokin weed on the weekends....everyones doin it...its not everyday." I was crushed. over the years I did my best to convince him to stop and he always lied to me and said he did. He obviously didn't know the effect that it would have on him. I stayed friends with him and always tried to convince him to stop. Finally in eighth grade he convinced me he stopped. That summer he went to camp and I didn't get the facts about what he was doing but I assumed that it was over with. When ninth grade started and we just began high school he was overwhelmed with the work and was getting low test scores. He told me that he was way to busy and stressed for me to ever visit him. Although he told me not to I went to his house and sure enough there he was in his room smoking weed. I was so upset that I took everything he had and flushed it and left. He didn't talk to me for weeks. Today after your presentation I saw him outside crying. I went up to him and asked him what was wrong. He told me that he never wanted anything like that to happen to him and looked me in the eye and swore to me that he would never smoke again. This afternoon I went to his house and together we flushed his stash. I cried. I just want to thank you for what you have done. You are a wonderful person for even changing just one person's even though you change many. I hope you realized how you saved his life and I can't thank you enough. Thank you.
Sincerely, Rebecca a student at SHS

Hey Scotty Rock!!
I just today listened to one of your lectures at my school. I go to Bendle High School in Michigan. I just wanna tell u that your message was delivered from a perspective that I've never seen before. It was like you were talking with us and not at us. I was front and center and I absorbed every word you said. (I was the kinda short kid in blue jeans and a long sleeved white Adidas shirt, if u can remember). Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that you are doing a great service to everyone you talk to. I dont think anyone could sit through one of your assemblies without getting something out of it, and thats important, because the thing you teach them might end up saving their life some day. But hey, I know u probably get 100's of mails everyday, so Ill stop wasting your time dragging this one out. Please write me back if you could find the time
Sincerely, B.S.

Scot,
Thanks for your presentation today at Long Beach High School. I am a young teacher at Long Beach, and I was very impressed with you! Your message is very powerful and it's one our young people needed to hear. I was most impressed with your ability to share your innermost feelings of your youth, because everyone can relate to that. KIDS CAN LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES AND DECISIONS.
Thank you for deciding to do something positive to educate and inspire youngsters to make good decisions and for warning them of the dangers of bad decisions. Many students today were talking about the impact that you had on them. That's awesome! Keep up the good work, I wish you the best in all of your future endeavors and may God continue to bless you! WAY TO GO, SCOT!
Peace Out, P.B.

Hello mr robinson iam from long beach my name is greg and i really liked the assembly you gave on friday. I dont know... something about it spoke to me and i really appreciate it see... my dad he did alot of drugs and about two years ago around halloween he died of an asthma attack. He was 33. I konw doing the drugs that he did absolutely contributed and i didnt live with him since i was like 1 so i didnt see him that much. I didnt think i loved him until he died. There was someting about you that reminded me of him maybe it was the way you looked or acted but i wanted to go up to u and give you a hug because i thought that wherever he was he was inside you that day trying to talk to me. I really aprreciate that you came and gave the performance and would love if you responded thank you I love you
G.k

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
I just wanted to tell you one more time how glad I am that you were able to come to our school. Out of about675 kids, I think at least a third of them followed up after the program. There were tears, vows, and heartfelt thanks. More than one teacher thanked me, and the health teacher told me that your act was the most powerful one he'd EVER seen in combatting drugs. Several teachers told me the kids all wanted to talk about it in classes afterwards, so they did. I watched you empower these kids to be able to stand up in front of their peers and say "I'm drug free and proud of it!", and then I watched in amazement as the others applauded that stance. That hasn't happened here before. You just made it cool in our school to be drug free. Thank you. And I watched one particular boy, Jeff, come to your follow-up three times. I think the teachers let him go to your show both days. Jeff is a special ed kid, who has major behavior problems. He is regularly disrespectful, and thinks he doesn't have to answer to anyone. Last school year, I worked in the In-school-suspension room in the mornings, and frequently had him in there. Just as frequently, I had to kick him out for poor behavior and being totally disrespectful to me. I watched him come in and sit in the back of your first follow-up session in the library. He spoke out when asked, and said he had to make changes in his life. Then he came back to the later session, and sat quietly through it. The second day, he came to me and asked if he could come back
again, with the teacher's permission. I said yes - that was the most respect Jeff has ever paid me, and I wanted to give him a chance. He sat quietly there again. Something seems to have clicked with him. You may have been the key this boy has been looking for.
Thank you again, and Godspeed. Love Nikki