Speaker Paxton Williams, director of partnerships and development with the George Washington Carver Birthplace District Association, reminded students of historical accomplishments and challenged them to make a difference.
He invoked George Washington Carver, along with those who built Crowder College, as examples and talked about the need for leadership for the future.
Today, Williams told students, was their day to “dance.”
“Tomorrow will be your time to act,” he said. “The moment is yours.”
With that charge he also offered some advice.
“I’m hip,” Williams told students, bringing a laugh from the crowd.
He defined the term as an acronym for a person of honesty, integrity and perseverance and told students to surround themselves with people of integrity and work together to reach their goals.
“In the ways that we’re hip everyone should be hip,” Williams said.
In his final example he pointed to the area’s importance in space exploration with rocket engines made in Neosho.
“Because of what was done here, the sky was the limit,” he said. “Today, again, you make those words come true.”
