It might be a long way from the dangers of the Bering Sea, but guest speaker Nick Tokman certainly brought a spirited and focused effort to the Camden Middle School Auditorium on Wednesday, September 11th. The former commercial fisherman was on hand to deliver a pair of morning keynote addresses to CMS Students.
Tokman is a veteran of Alaska’s high-risk, high-reward commercial fishing industry. He also starred on four seasons of the hit Discovery Channel show “The Deadliest Catch”, which details the trials and tribulations of fishermen as their vessels attempt to bring valuable crabs to market. They pursue their catch against the extraordinarily dangerous backdrop of the Bering Sea, where cold and rough conditions often reign supreme.
On that show, Tokman, also known as “Sunshine”, brought a sense of warmth to the proceedings, and that’s what shone through on Wednesday. He brought a vibrant and engaging message to CMS students about how he overcame significant personal obstacles to achieve his goals, even when those goals changed over time.
Those shifts in aspiration were sometimes quite drastic. One day when he was home from University, his grandfather introduced Tokman to “The Deadliest Catch”, and he was hooked. Not only by the show, but by the idea that he could do the job too.
That started a long journey filled with twists and turns while Tokman learned the incredibly taxing trade of commercial fishing. Amidst several low points, he pressed on a path that ultimately led him to the television show and fishing vessel of his dreams. His presentation included personal anecdotes, a question and answer session, audience participation, and plenty of song and dance to keep the energy up.
All of this came together to weave a narrative about perseverance, authenticity, and self-worth that had students interested and engaged during a 90 minute time frame.
“The main part of my message is finding ways to redirect their attention away from negative things, like trying to be ‘good enough’ for peers or classmates,” Tokman said. “I want them to bring the attention back onto themselves and figure out who they are and what they want in life so they can chart their own path.”
Following the presentation, Tokman took time to meet as many students as possible, with opportunities for photos and autographs.
“The kids were great today,” Tokman said. “They were very enthusiastic and very respectful. I’ve had an awesome time here.”