- December 18, 2025
Stedman Graham visited Matanzas High School, in Palm Coast, on Dec. 17. Courtesy photo by Jay Scherr
Stedman Graham visited Matanzas High School, in Palm Coast, on Dec. 17. Courtesy photo by Jay Scherr
Stedman Graham visited Matanzas High School, in Palm Coast, on Dec. 17. Courtesy photo by Jay Scherr
Students from both Flagler Palm Coast High School and Matanzas High School were visited on Dec. 17 by entrepreneur and author Stedman Graham, who delivered a speech on self-Identity and leadership. Consisting of grade levels 9-12, students were seated in the Matanzas auditorium, where Graham, New York Times bestselling author of “Identity Leadership,” taught them the importance of knowing who they are and the nine steps to success.
To start the presentation, Graham introduced himself and informed the students that to be a leader, you have to know how to lead yourself, and that comes with knowing who you are. This was followed by an exercise in which he brought nine students up to the stage and asked, “Who are you?” Some were not able to answer the question, so he brought to the stage eight instructional staff to answer the question, “What happens when you don’t know who you are?”
LaShakia Moore, Flagler County’s superintendent, responded: “When you don’t know who you are, you become who others say you are.”
This exercise led to the breakdown of the nine steps students need to take to become successful, according to Graham:
During the presentation, five students were brought to the stage and tasked with listing everything they love in 30 seconds. Roberto Reyes, a senior at Matanzas High School, had the most items in the group, with 29, including his bed, education, family and relationships.
In all, Graham relayed the message that the nine steps will lead you to recognize who you are. When asked about what he learned, Reyes said: “At the end of the day, you’re not defined by what you have; everything is as important as you make yourself.”
The student had the chance to sit in a roundtable session with Graham after the presentation, along with a couple more Matanzas students handpicked by Positive Behavioral and Interventions Support sponsor Christopher Reeder.
After the assembly, Matanzas Principal Mike Rinaldi reflected on Graham’s presentation.
“I think the message he delivered today is very impactful for our youth,” he said. “The better they know themselves, the more they can find their individual goals and reach those goals.”
The event was arranged by the Flagler Tiger Bay Club, which also hosted Graham as its annual holiday event guest speaker, on Dec. 17.
