Man Teaches Life Lessons Through Yo-Yo Tricks

From the first spin of the yo-yo, students at Mountain Avenue Elementary laughed and cheered as yo-yo champion Clyde Heath mixed amazing tricks with strong life lessons. He told the story of his cardboard side-kick NED, who at first didn’t want to get up that morning to go to school and once up wanted to take a shortcut to learning.

“There are no shortcuts to being a champion,” Heath said.

As Heath continued his story, he added more difficult yo-yo tricks, causing the students to scream and applaud. He told them that NED was not just a name but had a deeper meaning.

“There are three secrets for being a champion,” Heath explained. “Never give up. Encourage others. Do your best.”

He reinforced this message over and over again as the students learned while laughing.

“To be a champion you must make the right choices,” Heath said.

He talked of his unconventional life. He said it would have been easy for him to make the wrong choices but that he didn’t. He explained to members of his audience that no matter where they are from or where life takes them, making right choices and being a champion is always possible.

At the end of the program when he asked many of the students what NED stood for they remembered and told him. With constant reinforcement he thanked the students for listening and encouraged them to be champions in whatever they decide to do in life. cyo-yoyo.0303.jpg-BPhotoInfoCM1OHS5A20060303ivilxsknPhoto by Mary O’Keefe(LA)A HAT OF CONFIDENCE ? Mountain Avenue Elementary sixth grader Mat Schmutzer was given an honorary hat for remembering the NED, anagram of Never Give Up, Encourage others, and Do you best. The assembly was performed by yo-yo champion Clyde Heath, right. cyo-yoyoguy0.303.jpg-BPhotoInfoCM1OHS4G20060303ivim1xkn(LA)-- YO-YO CHAMP ? Clyde Heath performs difficult yo-yo tricks with his cardboard side-kick NED in front of Mountain Avenue Elementary Students.