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ANNUAL LUNCHEON
FOCUSES ON

HELPING TEENS

J osh Shipp was once a troubled teenager. Today he’s known as the “Teen

Whisperer.” When he talks, teens listen. So do adults. And on Thursday,
March 9, 2017 he’ll address Drug Free Collier’s 9th Annual Community
Awareness Luncheon.
Shipp has transformed his life and helps others to do the same. He openly
talks about being abandoned at birth, living in foster homes and dealing with
addiction, abuse and suicidal feelings. His challenges became the foundation
for his talks, which inspire and motivate.
He is considered a leading expert on teen behavior. He has appeared
on MTV, CNN, FOX, Good Morning America, 20/20 and the New York
Times. And he’s a regular at college campuses. Shipp has a best-selling book
called “The Teen’s Guide to World Domination.” As if that’s not enough, he
has a television series about working with at-risk teens. Shipp was also named
to Inc. Magazine’s 30 Under 30 list and as CNN’s Young Person Who Rocks.
His story has touched the lives of over 2 million teens worldwide.
Shipp has a casual style, putting the audience at ease. Shipp says his life was
changed when an adult reached out to him. “All we need is one person who sees
the best in us,” he says.
He believes “every kid is ONE caring adult away from being a success story.”
That will be the focus of his March 9 talk, which will be held from 11:30 a.m.
to 1 p.m. at the Ritz Carlton Golf Resort, 2600 Tiburon Drive in Naples.
He trains speakers, has an online mentoring program (A Year of Awesome-
ness) and publishes a free newsletter offering strategies for parents, youth
workers and professionals.
A self-described nerd, Shipp connects with his audience using humor and
honesty. “I don’t want to give you some sort of cheesy, unrealistic motivational
speech,” he says in his promotional video. He doesn’t. Instead, he calls youth to
action: “When something bad happens to us we have options – you can choose
to be bitter or you can choose to get better.”
Everyone, he says, face challenges. But we often think everyone else’s life
is perfect. It’s not. Shipp’s solution is no-nonsense: “Stop complaining about
yours,” he says. “Stop whining about yours. Stop using it as your crutch…it’s
not what happens to you, it’s what you do with it.”
It’s that kind of philosophy he hopes will change the lives of young
people.
Also at the luncheon, retired Chief Scott Salley will be the honored
guest. He has been serving our community for over 30 years with ongoing
efforts to educate the public on the dangers of substance abuse. Chief Sal-
ley is a past board member of Drug Free Collier and served as its presi-
dent for three years.
Tickets can be purchased for the March 9 luncheon and sponsorship
opportunities are available. Visit drugfreecollier.org for more informa-
tion. To reserve seating, e-mail us at info@drugfreecollier.org or call us
at 239.302.6717.

92 Life in Naples | February 2017