07/09/2026
I wasn't planning on rapping.
About halfway through my presentation, one of the young brothers mentioned that he rapped. I told him I did too.
Immediately, another student challenged me, "Spit something right now."
Before I could respond, Ms. Cynthia Hardy smiled and said, "He stays ready."
😂 So I gave them a verse from What's Yo Name.
The workshop was already going well, but that moment created a bond.
They realized I wasn't just another adult coming to lecture them. I understood their world. They leaned in even more. We talked about culture. We talked about identity. We talked about purpose. We talked about where they wanted to go in life.
When it was over, several students stayed behind to get my information. Some wanted help with their music. Others wanted advice about school, their future, and how to build a plan for their lives.
That's what youth engagement looks like.
It's not about entertaining kids. It's about building enough trust that they'll let you speak into their lives.
I've spent decades developing that skill. I've trained educators, mentored young people, built schools, and watched students discover gifts they didn't know they had.
That's one of the many reasons I'm uniquely qualified to serve as the next Superintendent of Education for South Carolina.
Education changes when young people believe the person standing in front of them actually sees them.
www.aminforsced.com