The power of words

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Before dismissing for an extended Thanksgiving weekend, Iowa Great Lakes Lutheran School students divided up Wednesday morning to hear gender-specific messages from "local celebrities" about how their words can either hurt or build up other people. Devin van Holsteijn, who is pursuing music and business management courses as a Drake University freshman, relayed to the male IGLLS students, right, that he was very active and excelled as a swim team and band member while dual enrolled as a homeschooled and a Spencer High School student. Abby Salton, a 2008 Spencer High School alumna who is marking her sophomore year in the Creighton University nursing program, visited with the female IGLLS students, bottom, about her involvement in basketball, cross country, soccer and 4-H, as well as being named the 2007 Iowa State Fair Queen and the 2007 Clay County Fair Queen. While the two guest speakers shared past personal experiences of words and actions that had hurt them, van Holsteijn and Salton also offered examples of both which had built them up. While being advised that "girls will be girls" and boys will act like boys, the two college students also talked about benefits associated with practicing the golden rule, treating each other with respect and setting a good example.

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