2007 Banquet - Keynote Speaker David Brandon
Click the "menu" button in the bottom corner of the video below to see all the Banquet video clips available: David Brandon, our keynote speaker; Joe Maroni, SSI Alum; John Sikma, Ambassador League Scholarship Award winner. The banquet photo album can be viewed here. Below the video is a list of the evening's program and a description of the banquet after-the-fact from one of our attendees.
Banquet Overview
SSI received this letter from Alison Lorkowski, which she sent to her friends after attending the SSI Banquet.
"I felt compelled to write this letter after attending, this past Thursday, the annual banquet and fund raiser for the Student Statesmanship
Institute (SSI). SSI was started many years ago by Mr. James Muffett. It provides teens with a week of instruction in traditional values.
This instruction is accompanied with “hands on” participation in simulated workings of government, media and business.
"It takes a lot of people to run the SSI program. The evening’s program embraced testimonies and endorsements from chaperones, parents,
students, and actual politicians, judges and business owners. David Brandon, Chairman and CEO of Domino’s Pizza, was the keynote speaker.
He talked about his faith, how doors opened for him, how great parents trump everything else, how God provides us with a wake-up call.
Wow, it was inspiring!
"This awesome evening included testimonies from teens whose lives have been impacted forever, though they initially resisted attending the
SSI summer program. As we sat at our table, the young people conversed about the number of years they have attended SSI and the specific
programs (Business, Judiciary, Moot Court, Media, and Senate) in which they participated.
"At the end of the evening I was blessed and honored to hear Mr. Muffett speak from his heart. He has an unmistakable and contagious energy
about him. He shared the important message that what we do now with our children does make a difference. Over the years he has seen the spark
of passion and desire ignited in the hearts of young people. His passion is teaching the biblical worldview to our youth, thus transferring
truth to the next generation. That evening we saw the fruit of that. SSI Alumni are now employed in media, government, Department of Defense,
business, finance and the political arena. God has a purpose and destiny for everyone, and SSI is compassionate, authentic, and genuine
about sharing those truths with our children."
Ambassador League Awards
Offered to SSI alumni desiring to put their new-found vision into practice, the Ambassador League curriculum
engages them in a year-long program to complete challenging assignments that develop leadership skills while applying Biblical principles.
Those completing every task even earn a college scholarship! Here's what tonight's award winners have to say...
John S.
John Quincy Adams Scholarship Award
"Ambassador League was good for me. I learned to step out of my comfort zone and take the intiative to get things done. I learned how
to be a good leader. I learned that even young people can get important things done. Ambassador League also made me more serious about
my faith and made me delve deep in the scriptures, which is something I never tried to do. I'm glad I finished it; I have no regrets
that my mother signed me up for it, even without my consent. I can't lie and say it was fun and easy, it was hard and uncomfortable,
but not so much in a physical or mental way, tugging at your muscles or your brain - but in a spiritual way, tugging at your heart. It
tests your character, and changes you for the better."
Ricky T.
Ambassador League Award
"This year as an agent in Ambassador League has been nothing short of extraordinary. I have had the opportunity to do more things and
meet more, important people than I ever would have imagined. This will be an activity that will live in my mind for the rest of my life!
All in all, Ambassador League has really helped me grow as a person and as a Christian and taught me taht when you work hard, you can
achieve anything you want."
The Evening's Program
(The links below will direct you to the individual videos of those speakers on YouTube.)
| Welcome | Randy Marcial |
| SSI Banquet Emcee 1993-2007 & SSI Parent | |
| Opening Prayer | Joe Maroni |
| SSI Alumnus 1995, 1997, 1998 & SSI Aide-de-Camp (Assistant) & SSI VIP Lobbyist | |
| National Anthem | India Tuck |
| Member of Zion Christian Church, an SSI Monthly Donor | |
| Pledge of Allegiance | Nate Kaczmarek |
| SSI Alumnus 1997-1998 & 1998 John Quincy Adams Award Winner, SSI VIP Speaker | |
| Testimony | Yolanda Haynes |
| SSI Parent | |
| Dinner | |
| Testimony | Fred Kummer |
| SSI Promoter, Volunteer, Seminar host, VIP Lobbyist & Chaperone (2005-2007) | |
| Ambassador League | Rep. Jack Hoogendyk |
| Award Presentation | SSI Parent, VIP Committee Chair & founder of SSI Legislative Scholarship Fund |
| (Scholarship presented to John Sikma) | |
| Introduction of Speaker | Chief Justice Cliff Taylor |
| Michigan Supreme Court & SSI VIP Speaker | |
| Keynote Address | David Brandon |
| President & CEO of Domino's Pizza & SSI Advisory Board Member & SSI VIP Speaker | |
| SSI Mission | James Muffett, SSI Founder & President |
| & Erin McKay, SSI Onsite/Summer Alumna 2007 & current SSI Intern | |
| Closing Remarks | Randy Marcial |
| Benediction | John Losen Jr. |
| SSI Parent and Onsite Promoter |