“The value of your life is your ability to take a loss and turn it into a lesson.”

That’s just what Lakers learned from motivational speaker DeAndre Carter, on Tuesday, November 15.

Carter spread his wisdom to an auditorium packed with students Tuesday morning, in order to add to the positive messages U-Matter Week is bringing to WBHS.

“It seemed that Mr. Carter was able to relate and connect to many of our students, helping them find value and motivation in themselves and their work,” said Assistant Principal Mr. Eric Pace.

Unlike many guest speakers featured at WBHS, Carter was youthful and had the ability to appeal directly to today’s teens. Many students resonated with Carter’s message of turning losses, or “L’s” into lessons. After all, “You can not find a legend in life that hasn’t run into losses,” said Carter.

Surprisingly, the idea for Carter’s presentation was arranged by a WBHS student.

Cierra White, senior, attended one of Carter’s presentations during the summer at Camp Enterprise, a program for high schoolers interested in business.

“As someone who always needs motivation, it was just really inspiring for me to hear him . . . as soon as he was finished I had texted Watson and I was like, we need this, we have to have this has soon as possible,” said White.  

Carter’s introduction to his presentation featured a destroyed $100 bill. Even though the bill was crumpled and ripped, the audience still saw value in the bill. Carter used this analogy to say that all of us still have value, even if we believe that we are damaged and unwanted.

“I hope that it is going to teach people that they can find success in themselves and that you don’t have to compare yourself to others all the time. You can be successful in your own ways and be valuable in your own way,” said Ryan Ishbia, senior, one of the core organizers of U-Matter Week.

The lessons Carter shared were definitely things students can apply to their lives in the present and in the future. Hopefully U-Matter Week has more lessons in store for Lakers.