One of the Most In-Demand Speakers in America Talks With Local Youth
by Johnnie Grant
The City of Asheville was all a-buzz September 10th as Motivational Speaker Milton “Bigg Milt” Creagh graced the halls and auditoriums of Asheville High and Asheville Middle Schools. Creagh’s Asheville appearance was hosted by the Southside Community Advisory Board, in collaboration with Asheville City Schools.
Talking to educators, parents, and students, Creagh shared a clear, simple message: “Make sure your child (or your students) will be wanted in the workplace!”
As the audience listened, somewhat perplexed by the statements, Creagh made his point: “Something is wrong in America: It seems that NO ONE WANTS YOUR CHILD!”
Citing poor work ethics perpetuated by poor parenting skills, Creagh stated, “I’m not saying that you’re bad parents – just a parent who will not insist your children rise to the levels success – the type of success needed to compete in the present workplace,” said Creagh.
Creagh shares these simple disciplines for parents and youth:
Parents – Just Say No. Say no to that part of you that associate giving children what they want with showing how much you love them. Part of showing love is teaching boundaries and restraint.
Youth – Practice Self-discipline. An important trait for long-term success, and the focus to handling life in spite of distractions.
Parents – Teach your children financial suaveness. They really must understand money early in life. Allow them to earn their keep.
Creagh’s book, Nobody Wants Your Child, examines the things parents do that make it difficult for their children to do well in school and adulthood: at work, in marriage, and in society in general. Milton discusses the growing problem of a lack of work ethic among the nation’s youth and provides a blueprint to get kids on the right track for a successful life.
Raised on Chicago’s Southside, Milton Creagh (KREE uh), aka Bigg Milt, is best known for his hard-hitting, inspirational talks to high school students. Speaking to more than 200,000 young adults annually, Milt is one of the most in-demand speakers in America. He has spoken in 49 states as well as Canada, South America, Central America, the Caribbean and Africa.
Milt attended Bethune-Cookman College on a combination athletic and academic scholarship. The former National Merit Scholar was elected president of the Student Government Association his senior year and organized two mission trips to Haiti for athletes. His career is marked with numerous distinctions: He has twice been a participant in the prestigious W. K. Kellogg Foundation Exper t in Residence program, he has been invited to the White House, and he has presented at the NFL’s Super Bowl Experience.
Milt is the former host of the national PBS series, Parenting Works. He hosted two prime time specials for WPBA Channel 30, Atlanta: The Black Male: An Endangered Species and Atlanta Facing AIDS. Milton was featured in three nationally syndicated television specials for MTI/Coronet Films: Trap: Selling Drugs in the Inner City, Prejudice: Dividing the Dream, and Diversity in the USA. He hosted the Covenant Award winning docudrama, Masquerade: Unveiling Our Deadly Dance with Drugs and Alcohol, which has aired on more than 250 local broadcast affiliates.
Milton also co-starred in the award winning made-for-television children’s film, Pumpkin Man. Milt has been a guest on CNN, TBN, FOX’s Fox On Family, BET’s Screen Scene, 100 Huntley Street, and The Ananda Lewis Show. He has been featured in Jet and Right On! magazines, as well as hundreds of newspapers around the country, including the Chicago Tribune, Miami Herald, Rockford Register Star, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Salisbury (NC) Post, Topeka Capital-Journal, Emporia (VA) Gazette, and the South Idaho Press.
Milton Creagh divides his time between Atlanta and Chicago.
