Mark Mainella’s message is clear, be the best person that you are capable of being. Mainella is celebrating his 40th year as a motivational speaker and, not coincidentally, his 40th year visiting North Providence High School.

Mainella is a person that is full of life and energy and through his exciting personality, connects with his audience to convey his important message. Mainella stresses the importance of respecting others and committing yourself to improve and reach your full potential and achieve ultimate happiness. Mainella believes that everyone is different and that our differences are what make us unique as individuals.

Over his 40-year career, Mainella has traveled the United States delivering presentations about positive self-image in colleges, high schools, and prisons. No matter how many different institutions he visits, he always returns to North Providence High School.

“North Providence has always been fabulous. The students exceed my expectations. Families in this town embrace community and civility. There is an attitude at North Providence that is very caring,” says Mainella.

Regarding the faculty and staff at NPHS Mainella had this to say: “Mr. Goho represents the essence of what a strong principal is all about by caring. The staff here is fantastic and always very welcoming to me.”

Mainella also mentioned that he has been friends with Alan Monacchio, a science teacher at NPHS, for a number of years and admires his work as a teacher. He refers to Monacchio as “A teacher’s teacher.”

Although he has had to slow down on number presentations that he gives each year, Mainella’s energetic personality still shines through. Despite 4 decades as a “street speaker,” he has not intention of stopping anytime soon.  “You don’t retire from that which you love,” he beams, “I see the young blood as the future and the answer. It is important that they learn values at a young age to be successful in life.”

At the end of the presentation, Mainella presented Principal Goho with a starfish pin, which represents the opportunity all people have to impact even one life. The pins, a staple of Mainella’s message, were made by Peter Wallach of Tanya Creations and, in this instance, also commemorate his 40 years of presentations at NPHS and the thousands of students he has impacted with his words.

When the assembly concluded, a throng of students rushed to the front of the auditorium to thank Mr. Mainella for coming to speak, some even moved to tears at the chance to share how his stories impacted them. He gave out more pins as well as comforting words and sometimes even a hug.

As he gathered his belongings and made his way out of the auditorium, no doubt off to another school and another speaking engagement, Mainella looked back and with a cheerful grin offered, “If today was the last time I ever spoke at a school, what a way to end!”.