Clarke Central High School senior John Alexander poses in the CCHS courtyard on Sept. 27. Alexander began making motivational speeches over the announcements at CCHS earlier this semester and also posts them on Instagram. “If I motivate (people), if I say positive things, and real things, it can help a lot of people, it can change lives, because it did with my experience,” Alexander said. Photo by Natalie Schliekelman
The ODYSSEY Media Group will provide viewers with stylized profiles that center on people in the Athens community telling their own stories.
CCHS senior John Alexander Garcia, who gives motivational announcements to CCHS in the mornings in both English and Spanish, believes that public speaking is his calling.
Clarke Central High School senior John Alexander Garcia learned that words have power at seven years old.
At seven, he had a stutter that made it difficult for him to speak correctly. People would say that he didn’t know how to speak, which made his stutter worse.
Clarke Central High School senior John Alexander Garcia stands in the CCHS courtyard on Sept. 27. Garcia hopes to one day make a career out of public speaking. “I’m looking at (public speaking) right now as like a job. I’m not making money right now, but I know that in the future I’m gonna get paid for this,” Garcia said. “Something I’ve learned about finding your purpose in life, your meaning, like why are you here, it’s, if you can find that thing that you would do even if they don’t pay you, that’s your purpose here.” Photo by Natalie Schliekelman
After his father told him, “You speak beautiful,” he found his confidence and never stuttered again.
When he was eight, he experienced a second miracle through spoken word. A doctor told him that he had scoliosis, and would need to get surgery. His parents told him to pray every night, and after a month, he was healed.
John Alexander began posting motivational speeches on his Instagram in November 2020, and quickly found an audience. In August, he also began giving motivational speeches over the CCHS announcements.
John Alexander aims to create speeches that are “transformational” rather than “motivational.”
“A motivational video will keep you motivated for one week. Then you go back to reality, to your problems and you’re like ‘Oh my God I can’t do it.’ I want to do videos that transform your mind,” John Alexander said. “I’m not on that level yet but I know that soon, I’ll be on that level.”
His speeches don’t just apply to others. John Alexander is always trying to learn and grow. He reads books and meditates on them, trying to truly integrate their messages and learn it by heart, and discover content to pass on to others through his speeches.
In the future, John Alexander sees himself giving speeches to crowds of thousands and making a career out of his passion.
“If you can find (your purpose), you’re the luckiest person, because most people don’t know their purpose. I know that this is my thing. This is what I’m supposed to do.”
— John Alexander Garcia,
CCHS senior
“If you can find (your purpose), you’re the luckiest person, because most people don’t know their purpose,” John Alexander said. “I know that this is my thing. This is what I’m supposed to do.”
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