As an airline, we spend a lot of time and energy focusing on the concept of making connections – so much so that the very word “connect” is cemented in our Purpose statement to connect People to what’s important in their lives through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel. I’ve been with Southwest for almost 25 years and I can’t believe the amount of change I’ve witnessed. But our original idea is as relevant today as it was all those years ago, and we are staying focused on the basics of serving others.
At Southwest, the basics come down to two simple concepts: Reliability and Hospitality. We’ve never tried to be all things to all people, but we aim to be the very best at what our Customers tell us matters most to them. Sometimes the simplest gestures make the greatest impact. This is why we connect you to the work of two visionaries – two young men who saw a need to connect with their community and beyond. The work of CoolSpeak is impactful and most definitely a game changer for many. Feel free to connect with them if you need a dose of inspiration delivered by hip, impactful youth engagement experts!
CoolSpeak
In 2009, two visionaries, Carlos Ojeda Jr. and Ernesto Mejia, noticed a significant void in the youth engagement field. Their passion to impact youth on a broader and more transformative scale was the driving force behind the formation of CoolSpeak.
Over the past 6 years, CoolSpeak has grown to be America’s leading youth engagement company delivering unique speakers, programs and events to keep students inspired, parents involved and teachers engaged. They strive to motivate students from middle school to higher education, along with the professionals who serve them and the parents who support them.
To date, CoolSpeak has visited thousands of middle schools, high schools and colleges in over 40 states, while serving over a million students. In addition, the company has worked with and inspired hundreds of thousands of parents and professionals around the world.
The lasting impact that CoolSpeak continues to make on the world would not be possible if it was not for the incredible team members in the company and the visionary businesses who continue to support the dream of two passionate individuals who simply wished to provide transformative resources for students.
CoolSpeak especially values Southwest Airlines for their exceptional customer service and their compelling core values. Southwest has played an integral role in CoolSpeak’s mission to impact youth, by providing low-fare air travel and comfortable traveling options; the entire CoolSpeak family are SWA frequent flyers. This enables CoolSpeak to provide pro bono events to underprivileged schools that are unable to bring in speakers and programs to their students. It is their way of giving back and providing all students with a dose of CoolSpeak inspiration!
CoolSpeak programs and curriculums are designed to push the envelope of student engagement while ensuring that the material is highly interactive, full of energy and impactful. The company provides programs on various topics ranging from leadership development, diversity, college readiness and overcoming obstacles. CoolSpeak services are delivered by highly trained professionals that have years of experience working in the youth engagement field. They like to refer to their speakers as hip, impactful youth engagement experts.
Thousands of students across the country echo the sentiments below:
“You guys made me think differently about my education. And I feel like I can say that I can go to college and graduate.” – Ismael
“I learned that knowledge gives you POWER and your voice is your power.” – Jocelyn
“The assembly today really got me thinking about my grades right now no more room for less than a 3.8.” – Karla
These are just a few of the comments from students that keep the CoolSpeak team motivated, inspired and ready to give back, time after time.
