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Brad Barton is a delightful paradox – a magician who tells others how not to be deceived.

A man who injured his voice several years ago, but today speaks so

compellingly that he can easily be heard without amplification amid the

din of loud music and roaring wind.

An individual who convinces others they are magical by briefly creating the illusion he is magical.

Barton was the keynote speaker at Saturday’s 13th annual Drug Free Relay at La Grande High School, one who won audiences over with spellbinding tricks, then spelled out what magic actually is – making decisions that open doors to opportunities.

“The real magic in the world is when young people make choices which lead to more options,” Barton said.

A prevention specialist from Ogden, Utah, Barton baffled audiences with tricks such as tearing up a newspaper and then seemingly restoring it in less than a blink of an eye, and turning a $1 bill into a $20 bill. The illusionist speaks humbly of his efforts, describing them as workmanlike. The looks of wonder on the faces in his audiences tell another story.

“From a magician’s perspective it is a mechanical procedure. The magic happens in the heart and minds of the audience,” Barton said.

Magic also happens when we connect with others. Barton said the power we have to reach out to others is undeniable. He cites his life as an example, describing how he entered high school in Idaho as a 4-foot-9-inch, 83-pound freshman who had no self-confidence because of his size and an abusive father.

“He had me believing I was lazy and worthless,” Barton said.

His wrestling coach saw potential in him, however, instilling a sense of self-worth while ending a lifetime of self-loathing.

“He said champions do not put themselves down. I started changing the way I talk to myself,” Barton said.

Indeed, Barton said, often we are our worst enemies.

“The meanest person in the world is you to yourself,” Barton said.

Buoyed by his coach’s belief in him and new-found sense of worth, Barton went on to star in both wrestling and track in high school. He later was a distance running standout at Weber State University in Ogden, running a mile in just under 4:01 and becoming one of the best 3,000-meter steeplechase runners in the nation, one who qualified for the 1992 U.S. Olympic Trials. An NCAA academic All-American, Barton graduated cum laude from Weber State.

He later became a prevention specialist in Ogden. Barton’s work in this field helped lead him to the conclusion that frightening young people does not work when trying to convince them to stay away from drugs. He cites a well-known television commercial from years ago in which a man shows viewers an egg and then puts it in a frying pan, saying first “This is your brain” and then “This is your brain on drugs.”

Barton does not believe the ad was successful.

“Scare tactics do not work,” Barton said during his keynote address Saturday. “All that commercial did was create kids who do not want to eat eggs.”

Barton also added that keeping young people off drugs is more complicated than developing a catchy slogan like “Just say no” to drugs.

“‘Just say no’ just did not work. It was too simplistic,” Barton said.

The key instead lies in getting communities to reach out to their young people and get them fired up about life, the future and the world around them. Barton cites people like a history instructor he had in high school.

“He told us the first day of class, ‘I am going to be the best history teacher you will ever have’ and then he proved it,” Barton said. “…Teachers can get kids so fired up. They can get them sucked in.”

He urges people to show appreciation for educators.

“I have never had a teacher tell me, ‘I have too many people telling me what a great job I do,”’ Barton said. “Teaching is a thankless profession, so thank your teachers.”

The magician believes in the power of positive reinforcement, urging people to applaud others for jobs well done. For evidence of this, look to the National Basketball Association where the home team wins the vast majority of the time, undoubtedly because of their cheering fans.

“(Positive reinforcement ) is valuable stuff, it is currency,” Barton said. “We need to have this (positive reinforcement) going on.”

Barton is emphatic in his belief that young people need to believe in themselves and their potential.

“You have magic you know not of. Realize that all the magic you need for a lifetime is inside of you,” he said Saturday.

Barton spoke at La Grande High School and La Grande Middle School Friday, and gave two hour-long presentations at Saturday’s Drug Free Relay plus his opening keynote address. He was at the 12-hour event throughout its duration.

One of his talks was made from 11:30 a.m. to about 12:30 p.m. in a tent in which he had to talk over strong wind and background music. Barton said it is harder for him to speak as loudly as he once did after he hurt his voice, but nobody apparently had trouble hearing him Saturday, so engaging were his presentations.

Barton, during his talks, said the drugs tobacco and alcohol are often overlooked because of the semantics used in our culture. Barton said that alcohol and tobacco kill more people each year than all other drugs combined.

Barton also often discussed the freedom people lose when they become addicted to drugs.

“People are in bondage to poor choices” – a bondage which is tragic.

“Freedom is the most precious thing in the universe … When we make choices which give them freedom, magic happens,” Barton said.

The illusionist said during a presentation at Saturday’s relay, that the event was about keeping people out of this bondage.

“We could name this the Freedom Festival.”