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Virgil Revish: Looking Up to Get Up- Life Lessons from a Lifelong Educator
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My name is Virgil Revish . I'm a native of Petersburg , but now I live in Chesterfield . I've been living in Chesterfield for about 24 years now , and so I've been working in the school system , I'd say for about 40-some years working with youth . But what I found out this year , what my niche was , it was the sixth graders . The reason I say sixth graders is because that's the beginning of their lives , sixth graders . The reason I say sixth graders is because that's the beginning of their lives .
Speaker 1By beginning of their lives , just like , they have to know how
The Three P's Philosophy
Speaker 1to have a plan in place , and so when I speak with them , I ask them , I say what do you want to do ? That's the first thing I'm asking . So you want to go to school , you want to go in the workforce . So someone want to go to school , someone want to go in the workforce . So what I say ? You need the three p's first . What are the three p's ? The three p's are playing the preparation of your plan in the last stage is presentation . But what happened ? They added another one . That other one that I add , that's the plus one p . That plus one p is add , that's the plus one P . That plus one P is patience , and so we all need patience . So anyone can use that plan . Anybody need not know how to prepare their plan . And then the last stage is present .
Speaker 2Yeah , absolutely . Take me back a little bit . What originally drew you to education and community mentorship ? Give me a quick , kind of like overview of your journey from teaching junior high to your continuing education and consulting work .
Speaker 1Really my father . He was an advocate of education . My father had a fifth grade education and it was seven of us and , just like , all of us went to college and my father worked civil service . And what I noticed about my father , he was my mentor . By being my mentor he showed to talk to us about responsibility , leadership , accountability , those types of things .
Journey into Education and Mentorship
Speaker 1And when I started noticing what my father was doing , how he was raising us he worked the civil service I'm going to go back to that and we had two weeks for vacation in the summertime .
Speaker 1My father drove a dump truck and I saw during that time , when I was young , how my father was taking care of us , plus my mother . She was at home , she prepared the meals , kept the house clean , and my father , you know , he went to work . But all of us were successful , all of us had good educations and you know it trinned from my father you know it's trending from a father I saw he was my mentor , he was my light and so he was . I just , you know , just followed that . And what really got me into education ? Just like my football coach , I was a football player and I got two scholarships but , I , didn't go to those schools because at the time those schools didn't have good athletic programs .
Speaker 1So I went to Virginia State , went there for about three , three and a half years and I would have went four years . But my football coach , he was assistant principal down at Peabody Junior High School . That's the same school I graduated from . It was a high school then and my class was the last class to graduate from Peabody High . So I taught there from 75 , 76 . So during that time I took advantage of the GI Bill . So I went into the military . I had signed up a year before I went in . You call that , what do you call it ? You call it delayed entrance .
Speaker 2Oh , okay .
Speaker 1And so I went in a year after that . So I did three and a half years . Then , after three and a half years , I moved to Fairfax and so I worked in the school system up there . That's when I met Ms Bonnie Cooper . She was the director of SACC , that's school-age child care , and so I did that for about four years . And then I moved back down to Petersburg . I worked at the wastewater treatment plant . So I did that for about a year and a half . I re-injured my back and so I came out on workman's comp . And so , coming out on workman's comp , I started looking at some more things . And so back in this was 87 . When it came out 89 , I put my social security paperwork in . That was approved back in 1989 .
Speaker 1And so from there , 93 , 93 , a friend at Petersburg High School whose name was Larry Brown . He said man , I have a program . He said I see how you work with youth . And he said we'd like for you to start this program . It was called School Watch . And what happened ? I said let me look at the paperwork and I said I'll bring it back next week , coming up . I looked at the paperwork . I said man , I think I like the program . And so what I did ? I was the area coordinator at the time and so by being an area coordinator I start talking to other folks so they can be volunteers coming in for the help with the program . So we had military helping us out , we had retired school teachers , we had people that's in the community . So we had a lot . I had about at least about 100 to 150 volunteers working . We also had the police officers because they gave us training how to defend ourselves , you know . And so you know the program was very successful during that time , got a letter from Bill Clinton when he was the president , got a letter from Governor Gilmore when he was the governor , and so you know they liked the program and so we say we're going to start implementing some things within the school .
Speaker 1Fast forward my program Vision Going to the Next Level . Two have received scholarships from my program . The first one he had about one more year before he received his PhD . He also has a group home . The second individual he just graduated from Virginia State . He had four professional teams looking at him but he got injured last year so he's rehabilitating his right
Vision Going to the Next Level
Speaker 1now but I'm pretty sure he'll probably get an offer but he's getting ready to go back and continue his education , also to work on his master's .
Speaker 1Oh wow . But what I'll be doing ? I'll be going around talking to families , talking to students , you know , about continuing education , seeing what they want to do , where they want to go . And then you know my program . It really works because I have a lot of media coverage behind me that's written about it and they say it's very successful , this program Vision Going to the Next Level . My second book is called If you Look Up , you Can Get Up . If you Look Up , you Can Get Up . That's the program itself . It starts from the ninth grade until they graduate from high school . I have a guideline form for that , but they have to put the work in themselves . Anyone can go through this program , but they have to work it .
Speaker 2And it's very successful . Awesome , yeah . As an author and mentor , how do you use your books to inspire adults engaged in continuing education programs ?
Speaker 1Well , some of the parents don't really know . And so what I do ? I just go down and just tell them the basics . He said my child or my daughter wants to do this or want to do that . I said do they know ? Are they going to school ? They say yes . I said what school are they going to ? And so they tell me the school . I said the first thing , you need to know what the requirements , what the schools are looking for , because the schools are looking for numbers now SAT scores , act scores and GPA . Now , if you meet those requirements , I tell them . I said now pick five schools that you're interested in and see if you can qualify for those schools interested in , and see if you can qualify for those schools . And so they do that .
Speaker 1And so the first young man who got the scholarship his dad used to take him every summer down to Virginia Beach , but this particular year , after he started working on his program , he started just doing what he had to do . But you know , he put his plan in place . I saw where he was improving , I saw where he was maturing and he really wanted to do that . And so he's my role model right there . He's my role model because I'm very excited for him . I'm very proud of him because I saw him from Asia . It was about when I first met him . He was about 12 or 13 when I first met him , and so he's doing very well now .
Speaker 2That's amazing . Yeah . What unique challenges do adult learners face in continuing education and how does your consulting work help to address those ?
Speaker 1Well , there's a lot just like they don't know . Just like the second young man whom I was working with yeah , good , gpa , but he hadn't done his test and I said you know , you have one more year , man . I said I'll be taking that test . He said no . So I went and talked to his guidance counselor .
Addressing Educational Challenges
Speaker 1When he talked to his guidance counselor , I said what's the next date for the next test ? So what she did ? She looked that up and she signed him up for the next date . He matched the test . His academics is very good . He just didn't know how to get to that next level . Okay , and so what I did ? I'm sorry , oh it's okay .
Speaker 2You're a busy man .
Speaker 1So what I did ? I just helped him get to that next level .
Speaker 2Yeah , absolutely . How does your experience as a speaker influence the way you design or support these continuing education initiatives ?
Speaker 1I try to be a role model .
Speaker 2Yeah .
Speaker 1Just like I say , practice what you preach . And just like they see me , I'm always the same , every day .
Speaker 2Yes , Just like when I first met you , I'm still the same .
Speaker 1You're the same , like , just like when I first met you I'm still the same , you're the same . You have a nice smile , thank you . And then you know , um , by just saying all of that , it's how you carry yourself and people will will accept you more . You know , you don't have to be , phony , yeah , be for real and all you for real with them , they can accept it . And then you know , be for real when all you real with them , they can accept it . And then you know that's how I get through .
Speaker 2Yeah , I love that advice . I totally agree . Your book Vision Going to the Next Level offers a lot of practical guidance . How do you see those principles helping ?
Speaker 1continuing education , students overcome obstacles ? Well , a lot . Just like I've started my third book that's on bullying . Now bullying you have to be prepared for that , because you have three types of bullying . But you know where bullying starts from . It starts from home , yeah , and just like you may not seem like it's bullying , but it starts from home . And just like you may not seem like it's bullying , but it starts from home . But then you have to surround yourself around people who's going to influence you , who's going to make things better for you , and you know what .
Speaker 2Yeah , no , I agree , I think it does start at home , and that's something I haven't heard spoken about until like a few years ago , but I wholeheartedly agree with that . In mentoring individuals pursuing lifelong learning , what mindset shifts do you find are most important for success ?
Speaker 1Mindset you have to be . You have to focus , be focused , yes , and once you're focused , you have a clear mind . You can see things much better when you have a clear mind and you can focus on what you want to do .
Speaker 2Yeah , I agree . How do you integrate your consulting insights into your speaking engagements focused on education and personal development ?
Speaker 1It's like when I go out and speak , I just don't speak . I have interaction also . Yeah , because by having interaction they can understand what you're doing and then they can understand some things , what they need to do for themselves also , just like it's not just me , but they learn it as well
Books on Tour and Future Impact
Speaker 1as I'm learning .
Speaker 2Yeah , absolutely .
Speaker 1We learn from each other , absolutely , yeah .
Speaker 2Yeah , if there's one story that sticks out to you , besides the ones that you've kind of hit on about mentees , is there one that is particularly emotionally affecting to you or that really made an impact on why you do what you do ?
Speaker 1What really made an impact was the first individual . I saw how he enjoyed football , how he wanted to play when he didn't play , when he couldn't play . It was a rude awakening for him . So what he did ? He prepared himself for that next year , and so the year that he couldn't play he had a 1.79 GPA Really Wow , and that's why he couldn't play . Then another thing he got his thing fenced up together . Everyone's calling you today he got himself together and he knew what he wanted to do .
Speaker 2Yeah , awesome . And you know , um , you know what he wanted to do . Yeah , awesome . What would you say ? The future of the future of your career looks like . Like . What do you have in mind ?
Speaker 1okay , I said the future is opening up because my book is on tour right now . Wow , it's on international tour .
Speaker 2And which book is this out of the three ?
Speaker 1Vision .
Speaker 2Okay , Vision .
Speaker 1If you look up and they was chosen to be on this tour my books .
Speaker 2Wow , congratulations .
Speaker 1So what happened with that tour is September 10th through September 14th I may be going to the Philippines . Wow , they gave me the red carpet , so I'm just finalizing things right now . And also my two books . They've also been listed in the colleges , also been listed in the schools also .
Speaker 2That's amazing . You're going to have so much impact too . I thought that feels really , really good . What would you say ? The most fulfilling part of what you do is Like what ? What keeps you going every day ?
Speaker 1Seeing a kid get to the next level . If I didn't get to that next level , they put the work in so they have earned it and so that rewards me . When I see them put the work in , come and ask me questions what I need to do next , then if I don't know the question , I get the answer for them and I bring it back to them .
Speaker 2Yeah , that's incredible . Well , is there anything that I didn't touch on that you wanted to kind of talk about ? You've done so much and you've spoken so much about everything , but is there anything you want to dig into in particular ?
Speaker 1I just enjoy what I do , and you know I really haven't really gotten paid like I should be getting paid , but you know things are picking up now though . Yeah .
Speaker 2Things are picking up now , touring the Philippines red carpet , and I hear that phone ringing too , so that's always good .
Speaker 1Just like it's selling a lot overseas , and so I'm just amazed about that , and I'm glad people are picking the information up .
Speaker 2And if they have any kind of information , they can give me a call , or even just they can email me . Yeah , and that's great that you're so accessible too , that if anyone needs anything , you make yourself open to just answering their questions and really helping each person get to a successful point , just as you had that journey to success and you had , you know , wonderful mentors and wonderful parents along the way .
Speaker 1My father , you know , I just admired him and so I said , if I wanted to do this , I have to be a stand-up person , I have to be a light for them . Yeah , then I have to lead it .
Speaker 2Yeah , and so many kids and adults don't have that . They don't have that father figure . They don't have that father figure . They don't have that mentorship . So I just think it's so incredible that you're able to be that mentor for so many people .
Speaker 1So thank you for what you do . Oh , absolutely . When you put Christ first , nothing can bother you . Then You're going to go through processes . Everybody has a process . Everybody's process is different .
Speaker 2Yeah .
Speaker 1And so you know you go through your process , you pray on it and then some of these things that's beginning to come forth now . I had prayed about these things and what God had done for me two years previous he did this two years before Show
Faith, Process and Perseverance
Speaker 1me , I'll be on big stages , money here , money there . But you know it's not about the money , but you know it's good to have it Absolutely . But you know he had showed this two years ago . But you know what he did . He says it's a process that you need to go through . He said you haven't done this process . You know what that process was .
Speaker 1I've been married twice . My first marriage I wasn't there because I was in the military and I was up in Northern Virginia . I told my ex-brother , my wife at the time , then I said y'all come back down here to Petersburg and I said I'm going to call you guys up once I get situated up there . And so when I got situated I was going through some hardship and stuff . And so I went through a separation . And going through that separation it was kind of , you know , it was a damper , but it was a rude awakening too , and so that was part of my process and what I'm trying to get at about the process , the reason I added process , the patience , the reason I added that one . I said I'm going to test your patience . That's what he did . And so I said I don't want to do it this time . And so I said what he gave me to do . It was hard and it's still hard , but you know what I'm getting through it .
Speaker 2Yeah , you got to persevere . It's such an important quality for people to have and for people to build , so that's amazing . I'm getting through it though .
Speaker 1But you know what ? Everybody have a process , and then you have to recognize your process also . Yes , and once you recognize your process and you give it to my daddy upstairs , he's going to take care of it for you , yeah .
Speaker 2Is there anything else you wanted to add or anything you wanted to talk about ?
Speaker 1that I didn't hit on . I'm good right now .
Speaker 2Yeah , well , it was such a pleasure talking to you and having you on the show . Yeah , thank you for sitting down with me today . Virgil , it's not a problem .
Speaker 1I .