Brave Enough To Fail Awards Six $1,000 Scholarships to Danbury High School

Editor's note:  Navy veteran Wayne Winsley hails from Cleveland, Ohio.  We were introduced some 6 years ago by fellow patriot, Palin Smith, when he ran for Congress against the left-wing Rosa DeLauro.  We've been friends ever since.

Thanks to our partnership with Kiwanis Club of Greater Danbury, the generosity of Union Savings Bank, and the hard work of the Key Club of Danbury High School, Brave Enough To Fail was able to deliver a powerful message of motivation, inspiration, and achievement to over 600 seniors at a recent presentation.

The speaker, Wayne Winsley, shared how being raised by his great grandmother, then living in an orphanage and foster homes took him down a road where he faced a crossroad with the options being the cemetery or prison.


After hearing someone say, “Always strive for excellence” something clicked and Wayne paved himself a new path, enjoying decades of success as a radio announcer and now spreading motivation with his story.

He went on to give the students relevant, and specific way to overcome adversity and be the boss of their dreams.

That message was backed up with five $1,000 scholarships to help those motivated students achieve their dreams.

The message must have been effective because after the announcement of the scholarships a BETF supporter, who was attending the presentation as a guest, spontaneously stood up and shouted “Can we make it six scholarships? If we can make it six, I’ll take care of it!”  And just like that, five scholarships became six scholarships.

Wayne Winsley and Michelle Bonvicini, Director

 of Community Relations Union Savings Bank

Michelle Bonvicini, Director of Community Relations Union Savings Bank says,
“Motivating and encouraging our young people to be the best they can be is vitally important and we are very happy to be a part of this effort.”

Wayne Winsley, Executive Director of Brave Enough To Fail commented, “This was truly a team effort. The Kiwanis Club of Danbury saw the possibilities of this program and paved the way for us. The Key Clubbers did the logistical work of putting the event  together and generating enthusiasm among the student body. And of course none of this would have been possible without the generous support of Union Savings Bank who made the investment in the dreams of all these young people. I am sincerely thankful to everyone on the team.”
Hopefully this is only the beginning. The list of schools that have already requested the Brave Enough To Fail program spans twenty states.

Wayne Winsley says, “Just imagine how many young people we can impact and how many dreams we sow into. We can help close the achievement gap and strengthen communities across America. All we need is the support of great people like the ones who made this event possible.” 

Brave Enough To Fail Inc, is a 501 ( C ) 3 nonprofit that provides free motivational presentations and scholarships to schools.

Learn how you can help bring this program and scholarships to a school near you.

Visit our website or email info@BraveEnoughToFail.org