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Word On The Street
"Ian's love of life is evident in his performance. He is very animated and is clearly enjoying himself. He works hard on stage to deliver a high energy show, and he gets across his message without preaching or lecturing. He uses age-appropriate humour that might seem silly or even immature to an adult, but the students lap it up and just howl at the jokes!"
-Jan Duffield, Leadership Teacher, FE Madill Secondary School
Not only were we entertained by your humour and personal anecdotes, we were reminded of what is important in life - challenging ourselves and taking the time to make connections with those around us.
-Jennifer Boin, Student Council Advisor , St. Mary's High School
"Ian managed to keep the attention of 700 high school students and 100 grade eights for more than an hour with his humorous but poignant message! It is without hesitation that I recommend Ian Tyson as a dynamic, thought provoking, and hilarious speaker!"
-Charles Gale, Student Activity Advisor, Welland Centennial Secondary School
About Ian
Ian Tyson has been performing all of his life. It all started with "curb side concerts" at the age of ten, re-enacting the stand up comedy that he had seen or heard for all of the neighbourhood kids. Whether he was reciting Steve Martin or George Carlin's antics word for word, or doing a scene from his favourite sitcom, he lived to get laughs.
The trend continued through his high school years. His time in drama class and student council allowed him a chance to get in front of a crowd and hone his skills. At the same time, Ian became an active student leader, attending conferences and workshops across Ontario. After running a local leadership conference for 250 students, Ian was asked to speak at an area high school (his first paid speaking engagement) at the age of eighteen. Realizing that he could make people laugh, and motivate and inspire them at the same time, he knew he had found his calling.
While in university, Ian started his professional career as a speaker for high school students. Ian has toured Canada and the US with his one-man show of "comedy with a message". In 1992, Ian co-founded Youth Leadership Camps Canada, with friends and fellow speakers Stu Saunders and Andy Thibodeau. This partnership led to the development of other ventures in speaking, workshops, conferences and leadership activities.
Ian lives in St. Thomas, Ontario and is the proud father of 2 teenage girls. He is one of the top speakers in North America, having spoken to well over a million students since he began his career. To book Ian for your next conference, event or assembly, please click here.