Mike Smith visits Boys and Girls State

By: Haley Pierce

Girls State and Boys State delegates gathered at 7:00 p.m. in Kimball Recital Hall on Monday. While there, the citizens listened to professional teenager/motivational speaker Mike Smith. During his presentation, Smith documented his change from a self-centered kid to the champion of helping others.

“Honestly, son, your father and I aren’t very proud of you.” These words would strike anybody with pain; but for Smith, his mother’s comment sparked a personal revolution. Smith grew up in  Rapid City, South Dakota. His family did not come from money, and Smith’s father worked hard to create a life for the family. As a fourth grader, Smith became infatuated with Tony Hawk and all things skateboarding. At that time, Smith considered himself a misfit, and the skatepark became a place where he belonged. However, his father was offered a good job in Imperial, and it was announced that the family would be moving to Nebraska before Smith’s eighth grade year.

On the first day of school, Smith entered the classroom with long, shaggy purple hair; and he struggled to find friends. In a small town where sports were everything, Smith struggled to compete. For his eighth grade and freshman year, he existed only as a ghost. Suddenly, Smith grew. As a sophomore, the city kid hung up his skateboard and became a starting three-sport athlete. His junior year continued the same; and as a senior, he was among the most popular kids in school.

Sadly, Smith’s father became ill with cancer, and Smith’s only goal was to make his dad proud. He scribbled, “You’re gonna make it,” across his bedroom ceiling and became resolved to play college basketball. Smith started working diligently in the gym and the classroom, although three years of slacking were hard to overcome. One day, Smith found a freshman, Calvin, sitting by himself at 6:00 a.m.. Smith learned Calvin did this every day, and he decided to be Calvin’s friend. However, Calvin did not necessarily want to be Smith’s friend, and he repeatedly declined Smith’s invitations. Not knowing what to do, Smith asked his mother why Calvin wouldn’t be his friend. Then came the fated words, “Honestly, son, your father and I aren’t very proud of you.” The following day, Smith apologized to everyone in his school for being “too cool to talk to you.” These sincere apologies persuaded Calvin to accept Smith. From then on, Smith and Calvin were inseparable. On one occasion, Smith helped the entire school purchase Christmas gifts for Calvin.

The time came for Smith to attend college and play basketball. The first day of practice, Smith’s coach asked him what he wanted to do with his life, and Smith’s reply was that he just wanted to help people. Smith’s coach drove him to a bridge where Smith was introduced to many homeless people. After speaking with these people, Smith went to the equipment room and grabbed pairs of socks for all of the homeless. He then started a food donation program in his college cafeteria. From then on, Smith has been a champion of the silent and broken. He currently is the CEO of the non-profit Skate for Change. The organization, which numbers over 80 chapters and over 10,000 members, helps provide for the homeless and hungry. The majority of Smith’s volunteers are teenagers armed with skateboards, backpacks and tube socks.

By the end of his story, most audience members were deeply moved, and many wanted to know what they could do to help. Smith provided many suggestions, but his biggest advice was to be nice to others. Other ideas are available on his website mikesmithlive.com. And always remember, “What is your legacy?”