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Bringing in a youth speaker can be amazing or it could be a disaster. The difference often comes down to the questions you ask before hiring your speaker.

We've all been to boring meetings before. I'm not saying that the information wasn't important, but if it's not presented in a way that connects, then it's not received. From the moment you sit down, you start thinking about all the things you could be doing instead. And just like it happens to us, it happens to students too.

Here are five questions to consider before booking your next youth speaker:

1. What's the one outcome I want from this speaker?

Anybody who says they can give you everything you want it lying

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Do you want students to feel inspired? To make better decisions? To build confidence? Are you trying to combat bullying, improve mental health outcomes, or bring the community together? Though they all have connections, if your number one goal is to combat bullying, that's totally different than if your number one goal is to improve mental health outcomes. With each of these topics their are experts in each.

Here's a simple test: picture your students walking out of that gym or auditorium. What are they saying to each other? If you could overhear one conversation in the hallway, what would make you think, "Yes, that was worth it"?

If you don't know what success looks like, you won't recognize it when you see it. Sharing those expectations upfront helps your speaker shape the content so that it delivers the outcome you want, and enables you to focus on the speaker who will be best at delivering that specific outcome.

I meet with clients around 30-45 days before the experience as I start to prepare. This includes reviewing a Fearless Census that clients fill out to make sure the presentation aligns with your goals and learning outcomes.

2. Will this person actually connect with my students?

The most inspiring message in the world falls flat if it doesn't land with your audience.

Watch as many videos as possible, check YouTube, Google their name, read Google reviews. Better yet, show a clip to a few trusted students and get their gut reaction. Their feedback is often more telling than a polished testimonial. If students are involved in the process, it also creates more buy-in.

Connection isn't just about being funny or energetic. Sometimes it's about shared experience. Ask: "What story do you share that really resonates with students?" Then decide if that story will resonate with yours.

3. Can they prove they've made a difference?

Every speaker's website has glowing testimonials, mine included. But ask yourself: would anyone actually post the negative ones? And every speaker has had situations that didn't go perfectly.

Dig deeper. Have they worked with a group like yours? Can they share a specific example of impact? Can they share an experience that didn't go well and how they handled it?

Pro tip: If their testimonials include full names and schools, consider reaching out to those people directly. Most can be found via a Google search or LinkedIn. You'll get a more honest view of whether the speaker truly delivered their message, and it's often more revealing than asking a speaker for a referral.

This is one reason I always list first and last names on my testimonials (see below). It allows potential clients to verify the feedback independently rather than just taking my word for it.

4. What happens after they leave?

Too often, a speaker gives their talk, collects their fee, and disappears. The message can stick and often does, but true transformation takes place over time.

Great speakers extend the impact. This could be a video they provide after, discussion questions, or activities that can happen after the talk. Ask what's possible.

And don't forget your own role. How can your school build on their message? When you partner with the speaker on follow-up, the impact multiplies.

5. Can they adapt when things go sideways?

If you work with students, you know Murphy's Law applies. Things don't always go as planned.

Maybe there's drama in the school that morning. Maybe the microphone cuts out halfway through. Maybe you've got a group that's just not feeling it that day. The mark of a truly great youth speaker isn't how they handle the perfect scenario, it's how they adapt when things go sideways.

The best youth speakers don't freeze, they know how to pivot. They can read the room, ditch the script, and engage in an honest conversation with your students.

Those unscripted moments often create the lasting memories students carry with them.

Final Thoughts

Bringing in a youth speaker is an investment of time, money, and trust. Students can smell inauthenticity from a mile away, and one bad assembly can do more harm than good.

These five questions (and a few more I added within..lol) won't guarantee perfection, but they'll help you make a smart choice. Your students deserve someone who doesn't just fill the time, but creates a meaningful impact.

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