Thank you, Phil <Caputo>.

And thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for being here tonight.

It is an honor to be here with you, with Russell Cosby, and with everyone involved with "Ennis' Gift."

As a way to introduce this film, I would like to take a moment to talk to the parents, teachers and children who are here tonight.

First … let me talk to the kids.

When I was in second grade, I was the kid my parents wondered about.

I know what it is like to feel different, to feel different from your brothers and sisters, or from the other kids at school.

And because of that difference, sometimes you can feel alone.

The people in the film you are going to see have learning differences.

Some of them are athletes, or movie stars, or business people like me.

I am not here to tell you that you have to be an athlete or a movie star or a business person to be successful.

I am here to tell you that you have a gift and that you are not alone.

!! No one is alone!

One out of every five people has a learning difference. There are a lot of us out there.

!! Over one billion people in the world!

My second message is related to that, and it is to the parents and teachers in the audience.

We all need a support system to rely on … to help us when we feel uncertain or afraid.

Moms and dads, teachers … you can be the best support system in the world.

I know because I had one growing up.

In the language of today, Kenny, Billy, and Shirley were my posse!

My parents never gave up on me. It made all the difference in the world.

Even tonight, my wife Deborah is with me. She is always there for me ... Providing encouragement and love. She is my primary support.

And if you look in the back of the room … you will see some people from Ford Credit.

They are nodding their heads … giving me feedback and acceptance to give me confidence for what I am doing tonight is a very unnatural act for someone who is dyslexic. I am reading aloud.

Having a support system is critical to someone with a learning difference.

It was important when I was a kid, and it is still important to me today.

Support builds love, and love is the most powerful force there is.

Moms and dads … I understand how you feel. Both of my children are dyslexic … so I know what it is like to be the parent of children with learning differences.

The final thing I want to say to the moms and dads … and the teachers in the audience … is to remember the importance of hope.

Hope can be taken away from kids with learning differences. It is our job as parents and teachers to give kids hope.

I would urge you to find the one thing your child excels in … and push them in that area.

For me, it was electronics. For your child, it may be sports, it may be paper dolls. Whatever it is … encourage that activity.

Success in any area builds confidence … and confidence builds hope. And that is what every kid needs.

None of us can change what happened in the past.

Together, we can change what happens now and in the future.

We can be advocates!

We can raise awareness.

We can work for improved teacher education.

We can support early assessment for all children.

That begins with each of us. We all have the power to be the most important person in the life of a child with learning differences.

That is why I am so proud of this movie.

That is why I wanted to be a part of it, because I believe that this movie gives all of us hope.

And I think hope is the greatest gift any child can have!

As you watch the film tonight, catch the vision!

See the hope!

Make it a part of your life!

With that … I am honored to present the film "Ennis' Gift."

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