About Doug
(Doug, Denita, and David Reavis)
Doug is a professional motivational speaker, author, and co-developer of the web based “You Uplift” Kindness Software whose Silent Strength Kindness Program has been shared with thousands of students, teachers, and parents nationwide since 2012.
A former Rhodes Scholar nominee, Doug was selected to the Emory & Henry College (VA) Sports Hall of Fame having earned All-American and Academic All-American honors in football and baseball during his senior year where he graduated with a double major in History/Social Sciences and Education in 1990, as Doug has a combined 25 years of teaching and coaching experience at the Elementary, Middle, High School, and Collegiate levels.
Doug’s passion to spread Kindness stems from the relationship that he had with his younger brother Chris. In 41 years, Chris Reavis, profoundly brain damaged since birth, never uttered a single negative word about anyone, never hurt a single soul with any of his actions, and never asked for a single thing for himself, while all the time showing love to anyone who would simply sit and talk with him – no matter who they were (and without judging them).
Doug created the Silent Strength Pledge (in honor of the life that Chris lived), as the pledge is the backbone behind Doug’s School Kindness Assemblies for Students, Education Keynote Presentations for Teachers, and his “You Uplift” Kindness Software for school systems.
Doug’s other little brother, Mike, teaches Elementary and Adaptive P.E. to Pre-School students with special needs and has won 4 State Championships as a High School football Coach in Virginia, as Mike is completely dedicated to helping kids of all abilities to become the best version of themselves that they can possibly be. Our Chat entitled “Leave the Biscuits” is small tribute to Mike.
Doug has been married to his college sweetheart, Denita for 30 years. Their son, David is a BIT graduate of Virginia Tech and their daughter Ginny is a Fine Arts graduate of Radford University. David is currently the lead developer for the YouUplift Kindness Wall. Ginny and her husband Kurt Thiele have two daughters, Porter and Blakely. The whole family resides in the little town of Fancy Gap, located in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.
A former Rhodes Scholar nominee, Doug was selected to the Emory & Henry College (VA) Sports Hall of Fame having earned All-American and Academic All-American honors in football and baseball during his senior year where he graduated with a double major in History/Social Sciences and Education in 1990, as Doug has a combined 25 years of teaching and coaching experience at the Elementary, Middle, High School, and Collegiate levels.
Doug’s passion to spread Kindness stems from the relationship that he had with his younger brother Chris. In 41 years, Chris Reavis, profoundly brain damaged since birth, never uttered a single negative word about anyone, never hurt a single soul with any of his actions, and never asked for a single thing for himself, while all the time showing love to anyone who would simply sit and talk with him – no matter who they were (and without judging them).
Doug created the Silent Strength Pledge (in honor of the life that Chris lived), as the pledge is the backbone behind Doug’s School Kindness Assemblies for Students, Education Keynote Presentations for Teachers, and his “You Uplift” Kindness Software for school systems.
Doug’s other little brother, Mike, teaches Elementary and Adaptive P.E. to Pre-School students with special needs and has won 4 State Championships as a High School football Coach in Virginia, as Mike is completely dedicated to helping kids of all abilities to become the best version of themselves that they can possibly be. Our Chat entitled “Leave the Biscuits” is small tribute to Mike.
Doug has been married to his college sweetheart, Denita for 30 years. Their son, David is a BIT graduate of Virginia Tech and their daughter Ginny is a Fine Arts graduate of Radford University. David is currently the lead developer for the YouUplift Kindness Wall. Ginny and her husband Kurt Thiele have two daughters, Porter and Blakely. The whole family resides in the little town of Fancy Gap, located in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.
Silent-Strength Pledge
“Today my positive actions will speak louder than all of my words.””
“Today my positive actions will speak louder than all of my words.””