Year 10 boys. A 2-hour seminar. 25 students put pen to paper and emailed us afterwards. A sample of what landed in our inbox.
The room
A few hours after the seminar, the goals started arriving. One Year 10 boy set himself a target to earn $10,000 before Year 12. Another committed to 100 basketball makes a day. One went home and started meal-prepping 5 dinners every Sunday night. By January, one had written, directed and edited his first short film.
They weren’t the only ones. 25 boys wrote in, most with a list of goals already started.
On 5 December 2025, the Men of Honour seminar ran with the Year 10 boys at Epping Boys High School in Epping, Sydney. 2 hours. Pen and paper. No phones. Quiet enough to think.
Men of Honour is built for boys. It puts character before achievement: discipline of the inner world, commitment over excuses, and the habits of a young man worth following. Students leave with a set of goals in their own handwriting.
In the days that followed, the emails came in. They’d taken action. Here are some of them.
Epping Boys High School, 5 December 2025.
In their own words
This is some of the feedback that came in…
Theme 1. From “another speaker” to “I'm in”
“I came in with the same mentality of disregarding everything you said, like I do with the other speakers. But the way you presented your information and connected with us hooked me on to your lessons. I will always remember this seminar and put these seven approaches for a healthier lifestyle into practice.”
Year 10 student, Epping Boys High School
“I just want to thank you for your talk today. It did something within me to commit to my goals in life. You made me realise that excuses get you nowhere. Your speech woke me up. It gave me urgency to start improving now.”
Year 10 student, Epping Boys High School
— Year 10 student, Epping Boys High School
Theme 2. Discipline of the inner world
“Thank you for getting me committed to changing and giving discipline to my inner world. I really appreciate the motivation you’ve given me to change my habits. I really want to be a Man of Honour because of you.”
Year 10 student, Epping Boys High School
“Your talk struck me not as motivation but as commitment to the sacrifice of bettering myself and my future. I understand that great things don’t come easy. I learnt so much about how the body works and ways to benefit my future that I shared as much as possible with my family.”
Year 10 student, Epping Boys High School
— Year 10 student, Epping Boys High School
Theme 3. Becoming the person I want to be
“I hope that with these tools, and your guidance and wisdom, I can attain a better self. Someone who is more connected to the people around him, and to himself.”
Year 10 student, Epping Boys High School
“I am really glad I was able to attend the seminar and obtain some very useful information that I will use in life to reach my goals, and become the person that I want to be.”
Year 10 student, Epping Boys High School
Theme 4. The goals they set
“Thank you very much for coming to our school today. I really enjoyed the seminar, the time flew by. I wrote a list of goals that you have motivated me to start working on.”
Year 10 student, Epping Boys High School
“Thank you so much for coming in today and giving us your talk and your experience. I have learnt a lot about commitment and have been so inspired by your stories. It really helped me, and it means a lot to me.”
Year 10 student, Epping Boys High School
— Year 10 student, Epping Boys High School
What this feedback tells us
Three things worth noting, for the teacher reading this.
They came in to tune him out.
More than one boy admitted he walked in planning to disregard the speaker, the way he had with the others. They left hooked. Winning a sceptical room of Year 10 boys is the hard part, and it is the part that happened.
The talk turned into a goal list overnight.
$10,000 before Year 12. 100 basketball makes a day. Five meal-prepped dinners every Sunday. Push-ups morning, noon and night. A short film written and directed over the holidays. No one set the homework.
Boys tell you it landed in their own way.
“Legendary advice.” “It was awesome.” “The best speaker I’ve encountered.” Year 10 boys don’t gush. When 25 of them write back unprompted, that’s the signal. Compliance doesn’t send emails. Connection does.
From a student
“Thank you for your powerful seminar today at EBHS for us Year 10 boys. We usually get close to 3 guest speakers every term, but never have I walked away with such a buzz and excitement as today. I look forward to giving this a good go.”
Year 10 student, Epping Boys High School, by email after the seminar
About the work
Men of Honour
Men of Honour is a 2-hour seminar built for boys. It puts character before achievement: discipline of the inner world, commitment over excuses, and the habits of a young man worth following. In person, on your campus. Pen and paper. No phones. Quiet enough to think. Students leave with a set of goals in their own handwriting and a standard to hold themselves to.
About Glen
Glen Gerreyn is the founder of The HopeFULL Institute. Former Young Australian of the Year (Queensland, Community Service). 750 schools. More than 1 million young people. He’s based in Brisbane, a father of 4, and a lifelong student of human flourishing. He leads with story, then strategy. He doesn’t swear to win the room.
Glen Gerreyn
Founder, The HopeFULL Institute
Want to talk about a date for your school?
Here’s how to reach us.
hello@thehopefullinstitute.com
+61 7 3348 9572
www.thehopefullinstitute.com