Here is a 24-slide presentation that feels more like a documentary/portrait of your life than a résumé. It has humor, emotion, faith, family, Texas, creativity, and a few moments where the audience thinks, “I didn't know that about Mike.”
MIKE
A Life in Progress
SLIDE 1 — COVER
MIKE
A Life in Progress
Subtitle:
Family • Faith • Music • Art • Baseball • Bikes • America • Texas
Visual:
A strong, relaxed photo of you—preferably outdoors, at a baseball field, or somewhere that feels authentically “Mike.”
Small caption:
Michael V. Walk
San Antonio, Texas
Opening line to say aloud:
“I hate talking about myself. So naturally, I agreed to give an entire presentation all about myself.”
SLIDE 2 — ME, IN A NUTSHELL
Who Is Mike?
Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas
Teacher for 26+ years
Husband to Izzy
Dad to Blaine
Songwriter
Painter
Baseball fanatic
Bicyclist
Christian
Provider of Satire
Show: A collage of you teaching, with family, playing/watching baseball, biking, and creating music/art.
Caption:
“Friendly. Intellectual. Empathetic. Masculine. Creative. Sarcastic.”
SLIDE 3 — THE BABY
I Was the Baby of the Family
I grew up with:
John • Randy • Carol
Being the youngest meant:
I got roughed up.
I got picked on.
My siblings fought with each other.
They fought with me.
They also protected me.
Visual: Childhood family photograph, if available.
Caption:
“They could beat me up. Nobody else could.”
That is a very "Mike" line.
SLIDE 4 — GROWING UP SAN ANTONIO
San Antonio — Back When It Felt Smaller
1970s & 1980s
Neighborhoods
Sandlot baseball
Sandlot football
Radio
MTV
Family
Texas
Freedom
A little bit of mischief
Visual: 1970s/80s San Antonio photos, old neighborhood imagery, downtown San Antonio, HemisFair-era imagery, etc.
Caption:
“Big enough to be a city. Small enough to feel like home.”
SLIDE 5 — MY DAD WAS SUPERMAN
My Father (John S. Walk)
Always Loving. Always Strong. Sometimes Overbearing. Sometimes Short-tempered. True Christian. Bombastic? Yes.
And one heck of a storyteller.
Then:
The Accident
When I was about four, our car was T-boned.
My mother was nearly thrown from the vehicle.
My father had a huge gash in his leg—but somehow reached out and grabbed the back of her blouse and pulled her back into the car.
I was thrown around in the back seat.
I was unhurt.
Visual: A dramatic vintage family/car image—not necessarily the actual accident.
Quote:
“From that moment on, Dad seemed like Superman to me.”
This should be one of the emotional slides.
SLIDE 6 — MY MOM
My Mom (Kathleen "Kathy" Walk)
Affectionate.
Loving.
Timid.
A little fragile.
But what I remember most:
Her smile.
Her laugh.
Her overwhelming love for us kids.
Visual: Beautiful photograph of your mother.
Quote:
“Some things stay with you forever.”
Keep this slide simple. Let the photograph do most of the work.
SLIDE 7 — THE DAY I LEARNED TO LISTEN
I Almost Got Into That Car
When I was six, a man tried to lure me into his car with candy.
Two days earlier, my teacher had taught us about stranger danger.
I remembered.
I ran.
All the way home.
That lesson may have saved my life.
Visual: A child running toward home / empty suburban street.
Quote:
“Sometimes the smallest lessons have the biggest consequences.”
Then, spoken rather than written:
“I believe God was looking out for me that day.”
This gives the presentation a serious turn without becoming overly dramatic.
SLIDE 8 — THE MANY LIVES OF MIKE
What Was I Going to Be?
Truck Driver
↓
Comic Book Artist
↓
Rock Star
↓
Teacher
↓
Songwriter / Artist
Visual: Four or five humorous images representing the different possibilities.
Caption:
“Apparently, career planning wasn't my strong suit.”
And then:
“Some dreams disappear. Others simply change form.”
SLIDE 9 — MY LIFE SOUNDTRACK
Music Raised Me
My father introduced me to music early on. Buddy Holly, Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins, Frank Sinatra
My brothers and sister introduced me to their music. The Beatles, Neil Diamond, Joe Cocker, Pink Floyd, Elvis
Then came:
Radio + MTV + the 1970s + the 1980s
And Mike was hooked.
My Main Four
Bruce Springsteen - Born To Run
Guided By Voices - Glad Girls
ZZ Top - I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide
Journey - Don't Stop Believin'
Visual: Album covers or artist photographs.
Caption:
“I didn't choose the soundtrack. I inherited it.”
SLIDE 10 — 1,000 SONGS LATER...
I've Written A LOT of Songs
Started writing songs at 12 years old.
Estimated songs written:
≈ 1,000
Why do I keep doing it?
“Because it is my favorite way to express myself.”
And because every song is a challenge:
“Can I make a song out of this?”
Visual: Notebook pages, guitar, keyboard, microphone, lyrics, recordings.
Caption:
“Apparently, one song was not enough.”
SLIDE 11 — THE ANSWER
A Song That Matters
THE ANSWER
Jesus is the answer.
Your songwriting isn't simply entertainment. It can also be a vehicle for expressing what you believe.
Visual: Your actual handwritten lyrics, if you have them.
Large quote:
“Jesus is the answer.”
Then at the bottom:
Faith + Music + Creativity
SLIDE 12 — THE ARTIST
The Other Side of Mike
My art is:
Abstract
Colorful
Expressive
Emotional
Free
My favorite classic painter: Vincent van Gogh
Visual: Three or four of your paintings, preferably your strongest ones.
Caption:
“Sometimes I don't know what I'm trying to paint until I'm finished painting it.”
If you have a particularly impressive painting, make this almost entirely visual.
SLIDE 13 — WHY I BECAME A TEACHER
The Honest Answer
I wanted summers off.
😂
But somewhere along the way, something happened.
I actually became a teacher.
Visual: Funny school-related image followed by a serious classroom photo.
Caption:
“The plan worked better than expected.”
SLIDE 14 — 26+ YEARS LATER
Why I Stayed
I've spent more than 26 years teaching.
And yes, the summers are still nice.
But the real reward is:
Watching students learn.
Watching students grow.
Watching students overcome obstacles.
Knowing that I genuinely cared about them.
Quote:
“My empathy makes me a better teacher.”
Visual: Classroom photo, teacher/student interaction, or school hallway.
SLIDE 15 — THE DAY EVERYTHING CHANGED
September 11, 2001
I was teaching second grade.
We were told not to tell the children what had happened.
Then we sang the National Anthem.
I was trying not to cry.
The music teacher, Mr. Smothers, was crying too.
Afterward he looked at me and said:
“Well, that was rough.”
Then one of my seven-year-old students looked at me and said:
“Something bad happened, didn't it, Mr. Walk?”
Visual: American flag / classroom / September 11 remembrance image.
Closing caption:
“Kids are smarter than we sometimes think.”
This should be one of the most restrained slides in the presentation. No jokes. No clutter.
SLIDE 16 — YES, I HAVE DEFENDED MY STUDENTS WITH A MOP HANDLE
The Last Day of School 2018
High school art class.
Active-shooter lockdown.
Door locked.
Students inside.
Me:
MOP HANDLE AT THE READY.
We were scared.
It turned out to be a false alarm.
Visual: A tasteful silhouette of a teacher holding a mop handle like a weapon—or simply a photo of a mop handle with a dramatic caption.
Caption:
“Apparently, 26 years of teaching eventually qualifies you for tactical mop handle duty.”
This is where the presentation gets its humor back.
SLIDE 17 — Izzy
The Woman I Chose: Izzy
Strong.
Independent.
Loving.
The woman I wanted.
The woman I needed.
“I do.”
One of the two decisions I consider life-changing.
Visual: Best wedding/couple photograph you have.
Quote:
“She checked off every box.”
You can explain aloud that you've always wanted a strong, independent Latina woman as your wife—and found her.
SLIDE 18 — BLAINE
My Son: Blaine
Scholar.
Athlete.
Hard worker.
Resilient.
Goal-oriented.
One of my greatest sources of pride is watching him handle transitions and obstacles.
And then there's this:
Watching my son hit home runs.
Visual: Best baseball photograph of Blaine.
Caption:
“Some victories are better when you're watching someone you love win.”
SLIDE 19 — BASEBALL IS LIFE
Why Baseball?
Because baseball teaches you something important:
You can play your best and your team might still lose.
You can play your worst and your team might still win.
So:
You're part of a team.
Always play your best.
Try harder.
Learn from your mistakes.
There's always another game.
Visual: Baseball diamond, glove, your son playing, you coaching.
Big closing line:
“We either win, or we learn.”
That is one of the strongest quotes you've given me. I'd definitely use it.
SLIDE 20 — THE BICYCLE ISSUE
My Wife Thinks I Like Riding Bikes
She's understating the situation.
I ride because it gives me:
Freedom.
Sweat.
Heat.
Exertion.
Adventure.
Youth.
I feel alive on a bike.
Visual: Great action photo of you biking.
Caption:
“My idea of relaxation apparently involves physical exertion.”
SLIDE 21 — FROM BIGFOOT TO BIG SKEPTIC
The Paranormal Years
As a kid:
“BIGFOOT IS REAL!”
Today:
“Show me the proof.”
I love to:
Debunk paranormal claims
Examine strange stories
Question extraordinary claims
Find the rational explanation for everything
Visual: Funny Bigfoot image juxtaposed with a magnifying glass / skeptical Mike.
Caption:
“I believed in Bigfoot. Then I grew up.”
That could get a laugh.
SLIDE 22 — THE THINGS THAT MAKE ME ME...
Use huge images/icons across the slide:
⚾ BASEBALL
🎨 ART
🎵 MUSIC
🚲 BIKING
✝️ MY FAITH
Then underneath:
“These aren't just things I do. They're parts of who I am.”
SLIDE 23 — WHAT MATTERS MOST
Faith. Family. Country.
My Christian faith defines me.
Ephesians 2:8–9
“You are saved by grace through faith...”
My life changed when I trusted Jesus Christ as my Savior.
And I want my life to reflect that faith.
Visual: Bible, American flag, family photograph—tastefully combined.
Small text:
God • Family • Country
SLIDE 24 — MIKE
What Do I Want People to Remember?
Not the songs.
Not the paintings.
Not the teaching career.
Not the bikes.
Not even the baseball.
At the end of the day...
I want people to remember that I cared.
Visual: A great candid photograph of you laughing with family or friends.
Then underneath, slowly appearing:
Definitely Nice.
Allegedly Funny.
Secretly Creative.
Proven Tough.
Full of Faith.
Strong Family man.
Proud American.
And finally:
My Friends Call Me: MIKE
A Life in Progress
THE CLOSING
“I've done a lot of different things in my life. I've been a teacher, a songwriter, an artist, a coach, a husband, a father, and—apparently—a guy who can't stay off a bicycle.
I've made mistakes. I've changed. I've learned. I've laughed a lot.
But when I look at what's mattered most, it's pretty simple.
I love God.
I love my family.
I love this country.
I love creating things.
And I try to be good to people.
That's really all I want people to know about me.
They say nice guys finish last. But I don't worry. Because Jesus said in Matthew 20:16: "The last shall be first, and the first shall be last...
I'm Mike. And I'm still a life in progress.”
“And yes... I'm probably going for a bike ride after this.”
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