"Empty Your Backpack" with Keynote Speaker Sam Demma
Source/Author: Rachel Barrett, Director of Marketing & Comm.
November 21, 2025
Shorecrest was proud to welcome keynote speaker and author Sam Demma to campus on Thursday, November 20, for a full day of storytelling, reflection and inspiration. Through his signature keynote, "Empty Your Backpack," Sam encouraged Middle School and Upper School audiences to reflect on the emotional “weight” they carry and consider the power of small, consistent actions in creating meaningful change.
Students and faculty alike felt the impact. “It’s hard for everybody to put yourself in someone else’s shoes,” shared Khali Cameron ’28. “His performance definitely put things in a different perspective—at least for me, and I know it impacted my friends too.”
Bianca Felipe ’28 echoed that sentiment, adding, “It was fun, inspirational, and the stories were engaging and relevant. I’m going to try to find something in my life I can do more consistently to help myself and others… maybe slow down a little more.”
Upper School Ninth Grade Dean Al Irwin noted, “His message was twofold—the power of our words, and that we never know what someone else is carrying. The reminder about small, consistent actions is something I want to instill in our kids.”
The day concluded with an evening parent session focused on empathy, resilience, and supporting children with intention, a meaningful extension of Sam’s message for the whole Shorecrest community.
This community event was made possible by generous donors inspired by the Pyxis Fund, which supports programming that nurtures empathy, purpose, and well-being in our community.
