04/12/2025
Day 2 of Catalyst 2025 was surely full of joy and bittersweet happiness!
During last Friday we had the chance to hear from amazing people, starting off strong with our President and CEO of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner! She encouraged us to stay rightly informed and to continue pursuing knowledge even during different and uncertain times.
Later we had one of our wonderful keynote speakers, Laurie Hernandez, the wonderful retired artistic gymnast, advocate for mental health and children’s rights, UNICEF Ambassador, and previous “Dancing with the Stars” winner. The list of her accomplishments can go on, but during her time on stage she walked us through her life, through the meaningful lessons she had learned, and inspired us to advocate for ourselves. She’s truly a role model for Latina and Black girls, and her youthful and vibrant personality made her relatable and unique. Getting the chance to meet her in person and getting her book “”I Got This: To Gold and Beyond” was an unforgettable experience.
The last of last Friday’s keynote speakers was the one and only Steve Burns, from the nostalgic children’s show “Blue’s Clues”. He spoke at length about his time on the show and subsequent battle with mental health, a stark difference from his curious and outgoing televised character. We had the chance to meet the man behind the green shirt, and revive many childhood memories. Many of us could not help but get teary as the legend unfolded in front of us and became another like us. The chance of also meeting him in person was one of out biggest highlights of the weekend.
Through out the whole weekend we also learned more about PTK’s most recent initiative, which focuses on supporting local animal shelters through a variety of community service projects. Adorable pups were seen throughout the conference in minicars zooming around and delighting us with their cuteness.
Stay tuned for the last update on Catalyst 2025, Day 3!
