To learn a lot... go where you know nothing!
At age 17, there was a lot of pressure to choose a career. What did I know? I'd spent my life skateboarding, rock climbing and playing war in the forests around my house and on military bases across Canada. Summers were spent at our cottage and a Christian family camp. The best of times were the wilderness canoe trips my father organized for teenage boys. For a week straight we'd have grand adventures exploring lakes and whitewater rivers, spending nights singing around the fire. I admired and learned a lot from my Dad, and knew I'd follow his paddle stokes one day, but graduation was coming soon and I needed a plan.
Uninspired by the thought of more standardized schooling, I created my own course--to paddle half way around the world and share the experience online and touring with a slide show. I'd never paddled a kayak, created a web site or knew much about photography. All I did was visualize a projection of the person I could be if only I believed in myself enough. His name was MAX, an acronym for Motivational Academic Xperience. MAX could do anything; he was all about getting the MAX out of life.
Inspiring passionate educational pursuits, MAX @ School - Living an Adventure Novel shares this unique journey through a multi-media presentation that brings contagious wanderlust and beauty from fringes of the natural world to schools, community centers, prisons, parks and events such as conferences and festivals. The show, approximately an hour in length, is a mosaic of captivating images corresponding to music and poetic narration sharing experiences and insights focused on personal development and environmental awareness. Once it was only a dream, but now it is reality!
Intelligence and strength is not what most people lack; it is vision and faith. We are far more powerful than we realize. Education is empowerment. It is about YOU... consciously transforming into the person you want to be, and making the most of your precious time.
This presentation never fails to stir imagination and emotions--causing both laugher and tears:
"I love movies of fantasy, and seeing your pictures made me realize that life can be everything
anyone can dream. You've inspired me greatly and I'm very fascinated by your life. Thank you!"
-Tyson
"The photography was incredible! I'd love to go where you've been. You're lucky to have been able to see all that you have seen. The earth is a beautiful place."
-Jara Macqueen
"It was mind blowing! It opened our minds."
-Katie Murray & Chelsea Belyea
Hi, I'm a junior at MHS. I attended your presentation today and I wanted to tell you that it was extraordinary. As you know, highschool drains you of everything, and speaking with you gave me the extra inspiration I needed to stick to it, so I can one day enjoy and complete an extreme soul-grooving adventure as you are undertaking now. Goodluck with all that you encounter, and live it up.
peace and love
Whitney
Dear Max,
I was truly touched by your performance at my school today. I believe your words. They mean so much to me. I agree that you must search for your purpose here on this earth. I wanted to let you know that I share the passion of photography, and I too, would like to someday travel a long distance to find myself. I like what you are doing in the worldly community and hope to do that someday too. Good luck, Max and God Bless.
David Goodwin
(Manchester High, CT, USA)
Hi, my name is Jen and I attended your presentation at Manchester High School in Manchester CT, on November 21. I would just like to say that I think what you are doing is really cool and I totally support you 100%. Your presentation has inspired me to really want to find the real me. I went into your presentation not knowing what to expect; really it was just an easy way to get out of class, but what I got out of your presentation was so much more than I ever expected. I now have the desire to want to see the world and what opportunities are out there for me. I want to find my super hero! Thank You so much Cory, or should I say MAX!
Jen~
My name is Nikki Tucker and I had just attended your presentation at the ACCED
conference in Saint John, NB. I just would like to tell you that I enjoyed it very much and that
you taught me something. You also gave a lot of people I know a lot to think about. You
truly can be an inspiration.
-Nikki
I have just been sitting here in my room thinking about what you were talking about at our school the other day and I think that what you are doing is an amazing thing! I totally respect people like you. For one thing your pictures are amazing and you really are talented! Second I think you going around to the school is a great thing. You have made me realize what I want to do with my life. So thank you very much for opening my eyes towards the right path.
Yours Truly,
Gill Atherton, age 15
I'm Ashley and I go to Belleisle Regional High. I just wanted to tell you that your presentation a few weeks ago was awesome and I think you should keep doing them at different schools. I think what you've done with your life is totally amazing... to just set out and follow your dreams.
Too many think that success is all in school and university... and I agree that it's just when you do what you want to do. Your presentation inspired me and some friends to do some traveling the year we graduate. Those pics you showed were amazing!
-Ashley Marr
My name is Alicia and I am a student at Belleisle Regional High. You came to our school a couple of weeks ago... I would like to say that your presentation was inspiring. I've always wondered what to do with my life. I've wanted to travel and do photography for a while now. When you came in.. I was like, "that's a cool thing to do, I think I'm going to do it." I just wanted to say thanks for well... inspiring me!!
-Alicia
This is nick...you met me at the Boyce Farmers Market on Saturday. I came to
see the presentation of your travels from Vancouver to Mexico....i all ready
told you this but i cant stress it enough....your photographs and
experiences are extremely inspiring to me...i also learn best thru travel
and experience. ....Peace. --nik
At the market I heard the music, got curious and entered the "theater". I saw you and thought, I know this guy. It took me a while to figure it out.
Once at Frenchy's I saw this interesting brown jacket /shirt with embroidery (don't know how you call that....). I loved the fabric but couldn't decide right away. You came in with a few other guys and I thought, wow, what a natureboy (yes, it shows!). It didn't take you long to find the brown jacket. Thanks for buying it..... I mean it.
Anyway, because you have this radiation, aura or how you want to call it, I would like to introduce you to friends of mine. I'm sure they can all need a little inspiration.
I would love to invite them to a "cinema paradiso" night where you're showing the slides. It should be a surprise for them but I'm sure that when they see them, it doesn't take a lot of words or explanations to get them started on some reflection of their lives. --Edith
Max you whent to my school sussex middle school im in grade six my name is steven fairweather my hobies are skiing,basketball,soccer,football,canou,rugby and skatboarding.You are verry lucky because I would love to travel half way around the world espeshily on canou. we half to write an essay about the essembly that you put on the essay is on soical studies. I loved the pictures thay rocked
yours truly --steven fairweather
*** Tour Dates & Locations ***
2004
October 28, Sacred Space retreat and healing center, 776 Haight st., San Francisco, CA - 9:30pm, $5
October 20, Solstice Grove, Nicasio, CA
October 8, Sacred Space retreat and healing center, 776 Haight st., San Francisco, CA - 9pm
September 28, Venice Beach Boardwalk, LA, California
September 3, Burning Man Arts Festival, Black Rock City, Nevada
August 15, Five Acres School, Pasadena, California
August 9, Distant Lands travel book store, Pasadena, CA
April 24, Vision Quest, Elfrida, Arizona
April 16, Xetava Gardens, Kayenta, Utah
April 6, Sunhawk Academy, St. George, Utah
March 5, Star School, Flagstaff, Arizona
March 3, LA County Jail, 80 domestic Violence inmates
February 11, Isla Vista Theater, University of California, Santa Barbara - 8pm -$5
February 10, Ojai Unified School District, Ojai, California - 7:30pm - $5
February 5, OUTLAND Mountain Shop, Pasadena, California - 7:30pm - $7
Fall 2003
October 30, The ART BARN, Ventura, California, USA
October 29, Ojai Public Library, California, USA
September 24, Santa Barbara Waldorf School, California, USA
September 22, Santa Barbara Public Library, California, USA
Winter 2003
January 13, Garza Independent High School, Austin, Texas, USA
January 17, Ruta Maya, Austin, Texas, USA - 10:30pm
January 24, Cafe Mundi, Austin, Texas, USA - 7pm
February 5, Whole Earth Provision(San Antonio st.), Austin, Texas, USA - 7pm
February 16, Leann Atherton's Fullmoon Barn Dance Potluck, Austin, Texas, USA
Fall 2002
September 16, First Steps, Saint John, New Brunswick - 8:30pm.
September 21, Common Ground Fair(main stage), Unity, Maine - 11am.
September 26, Portage Youth Drug Rehab Center, Norton, New Brunswick - 10am.
October 7, St. Malachy's/ St. Vincent's High School, Saint John, NB - 1:15pm.
October 30, Woodstock High School, Woodstock, NB
November 4, Black River Road Prison, Saint John, NB
November 13, Green Mountain College, Vermont, USA - 11am.
November 19, Manchester Community College, Connecticut, USA - 7pm.
November 21, Manchester High School, Mancester, Connecticut, USA - 9 & 2pm.
November 25, Rocking the Boat, Bronx, New York, USA
December 6, Bronx Guild High School, New York, USA - 9am
December 13, Teacher's Development Day, Lehman High School, NYC, USA - 9am
Fall 2001 - summer 2002
October 15th, Saint John YMCA, Y's Men's club - 5:30pm.
October 18th, Alma, New Brunswick, in concert with The Great Balancing Act ~ "The Merry Adventures" - 8pm.
November 8th, Saint John, NB, St. Malachy's/ St. Vincent's High School - 2:15pm.
November 13th, Saint John, NB, Lorne Middle School - 1:45pm.
November 15th, Saint John, NB, Latimore Lake School - 11am.
November 19th, Sussex, NB, Sussex Middle School - 1pm.
November 19th, Sussex, NB, Sussex ladies group
November 22nd, Corner Brook , NFLD, College of the North Atlantic
November 27th, Sackville, NB, Mount Allison University
November 30th, Waterloo, Ontario, The Institute for Earth Education - 8pm.
December 3rd, University of Guelph, Ontario.
December 7th, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec.
December 11th, Saint John, NB, Lakewood School - 10:30am.
December 12th, Saint John, NB, Morna Heights School - 9am.
December 12th, Brown's Flat, NB, Brown's Flat School - 12:45pm.
December 13th, Saint John, NB, Princess Elizabeth School - 11am.
December 14th, Saint John, NB, Champlain Heights School - 12:30pm.
February 12th, Saint John, NB, Seawood School
May 3rd, Sussex, NB, Sussex High School, NBTA Middle Level Council Conference
May 17th, Fredericton Junction, NB, Sunbury West Middle School
May 17th, Oromocto, NB, Ridgeview Middle School
June 5th, St. Stephen, NB, St. Stephen Middle School
June 7-9th, Biddeford, Maine, USA, L.L. Bean Kayak Fest
