Treasure Valley Students Skipping Class to Save the World

The old saying that children are the future will come to life in the Treasure Valley Friday as they speak up, not sit out. There will be a rumbling at the Capitol steps on Friday from 10 A.M. to 12 P.M. with students from across the Treasure Valley.

These are the things that adults just aren't getting done. Students are the ones fighting for the things we all argue about like guns, women's rights and now climate change.

There was an Oprah short that was aired quite a while ago that still resonates somewhere inside as I continue to learn about parenting. I remember being brought to tears in this quick two-minute video because it made me really think about my role as a dad.

The video grabs me because Oprah speaks the truth in her narration targeting parents and the ownership of a kid's thoughts, future. We can direct our children but they have their own path and things like climate change is important to them.

We can watch it play out on the congressional floor and political landscapes of our world. We can argue what someone says on a newscast but that pretty much where it ends. We have other priorities like family, work, bills, and life. These kids have class and life. Your nephew or niece is trying to find themselves and things like this are obvious because they study it. Students can go sit on the Capitol steps all day because they have the time and strong beliefs backed by other students to empower those feelings to make a stand.

It doesn't matter what you believe about climate change, you should support these young adults. It's our responsibility to empower them to follow their hearts and NOT to be us. In that video it says,

You may give them your love, but not your thoughts. For they have their own thoughts.

I think about the things I did to get where I am today in Radio. I never met a person who took this career path and there were roadblocks at every turn. Most people would have stopped especially my battle to practice broadcasting in the United States Navy. Every path I've taken stems from an inner fire that when I'm surrounded by believers I become unstoppable. It's when you're younger, that fire churns and you're not thinking of consequences. That is why today is important not just to these kids, but all of us.

We need these students to fight for the things that we just don't have time for. More importantly, we need to teach them to follow their hearts. It's important that they believe they can do whatever they want and that no barrier can hold them back. That takes me to my final favorite moment. The event is at the Capitol in Boise from 10 A.M. to 12 P.M. with several speakers and this isn't your typical "meet-up."

I would expect to see hundreds of kids and teachers in support. Pay close attention to this day. You never know what to expect, but I believe in our students and they can be as powerful as they believe.

This is one of my favorite scenes and I have several from Will Smith. This was based on a true story, The Pursuit of Happyness. Will tells his son played by Jaden Smith (his real son) that if you have a dream, don't let anyone tell you that it can't be done. Watch.