Going Back to School

The other day I had the privilege to speak to a couple classes at the Vista Charter Academy on the south side of Grand Rapids.

These kids blew my mind. They were excited, yet under control. They listened and asked the best questions any group has ever asked. They drew conclusions and made suggestions. They simply did not come across as 5th, 6th, or 7th graders. They out-performed many college-level classes that I've spoken to in the past.

I walked out of that class thinking to myself that if every student, class, or school were like this, America wouldn't have education problems. They had a great teacher in Miss Blair, but most importantly, they seemed to have the work ethic, knowledge, and skills to be successful. These students inspired me more than I could have possibly inspired them. They reminded me why I'm willing to grind it out every day and go after the types of projects that I feel need to be done, whether they are paid well or not at all.

If you ever have a chance to talk to any group of students, DO IT. You'll be blown away. If your experiences, advice, and journey can inspire just one student, then you may have just changed their life forever. It is worth the couple of hours out of our days, believe me.

The overall message of the hour-long session is one you should be familiar with by now: DREAM IMPOSSIBLE. (Shout out to Mr. Joe Buys, my Dream Impossible mentor). #DreamImpossible