Out of the Mouth of Babes "Our Future Leaders"
Welcome to "Out of the Mouth of Babes: Our Future Leaders" with Kevin Handley Sr.!
In this enlightening and empowering podcast, we delve into the minds of the next generation—the brilliant and dynamic youth who hold the keys to our collective future. Join our host, Kevin Handley Sr., as he takes us on an inspiring journey through conversations with young visionaries, activists, innovators, and changemakers from around the world.
Each episode of "Out of the Mouth of Babes" brings you candid and thought-provoking interviews with these remarkable young individuals who are making a significant impact in their communities and beyond. From tackling pressing global issues to spearheading innovative projects, these youth leaders are reshaping the world as we know it.
Kevin Handley Sr., a seasoned and compassionate host, skillfully uncovers the stories behind these young achievers, delving into their motivations, challenges, and the transformative experiences that have shaped their journeys. Listeners will be inspired by the depth of insight and wisdom these young guests possess, proving that age is no barrier to effecting meaningful change.
Whether you're a parent, educator, community member, or simply passionate about youth-driven initiatives, "Out of the Mouth of Babes: Our Future Leaders" offers a unique platform to learn, engage, and celebrate the voices of the youth. Together, we can gain valuable perspectives and support the aspirations of these incredible young leaders, nurturing a brighter and more inclusive tomorrow.
Join us as we amplify the voices of the youth and discover the extraordinary potential that lies within "Out of the Mouth of Babes: Our Future Leaders" with Kevin Handley Sr. Be ready to be moved, motivated, and inspired!
Out of the Mouth of Babes "Our Future Leaders"
S1 EP8 pt2 - Balancing Academics, Sports, and Teenage Life: Insights from Richmond's Rising Stars
Richmond High School's extraordinary student-athletes, Ben Holliday and Teles Ortiz, join us to reveal their secrets to balancing sports, academics, and the complexities of teenage life. Ever wondered how top students manage the whirlwind of expectations and still find time for themselves? Ben and Teles share their journey of navigating peer pressure, maintaining focus on personal goals, and the invaluable family conversations that have kept them grounded. They offer insights into effective time management and the importance of surrounding oneself with positive influences, offering advice on handling friendships that may sometimes steer off course. Listen as they discuss the impact of their school's cell phone policy on their daily focus, proving that small changes can lead to big results.
In another inspiring segment, we shine a spotlight on a high school football team determined to rewrite their story after a challenging season. Meet the resilient "Four Horsemen," the defensive linemen who epitomize hard work and mental toughness, leading their team with passion and camaraderie. Despite the odds, this spirited team is focused on proving their critics wrong, emphasizing the importance of enjoying the journey as much as the destination. With a hopeful outlook for their upcoming games, this chapter reminds us of the power of perseverance and unity. Whether you're a sports enthusiast or simply in need of a dose of inspiration, these stories of dedication and resilience are bound to leave you cheering from the sidelines.
Welcome to Out of the Mouth to Babe, the podcast for our youth. Today I'm sitting here with two exceptional young men. I'm going to let them introduce themselves so I don't steal all of their thunder. Go ahead first up.
Speaker 3:I'm Ben Holliday, I'm Tullis Foy'm Telus, fort Ortiz.
Speaker 1:All right, both of these gentlemen are student athletes at Richmond High School and we're going to talk a little bit about what is it like to be a high school student? So tell me a little bit about yourself, your interests and your hobbies.
Speaker 2:I play football. I'm the kicker and punter and also play soccer, so I do two sports in the same season. Uh, I just that's really about it. That's all I do. I just try to do good in school too yeah, um, um, I play, uh, football.
Speaker 3:I'm a two-way starter, you know um. I played offensive tackle and then defensive tackle, or like defense in or wherever they need me for real, and I really just go to school and that's pretty much it.
Speaker 1:So what are some of the biggest challenges you guys face as teenagers in today's world?
Speaker 3:Challenges. I think peer pressure is like a big one for me. You know a lot of my friends they like to, you know, do all the normal high school stuff, so to speak, like they like going out and partying and stuff and that's you know, they're like come on, tio, come out. You know what I mean, but you know I'm not. That's not my type.
Speaker 2:Just got to stay focused.
Speaker 3:Yeah, for real, that's really it.
Speaker 2:What about you? That's probably peer pressure too. The main thing is just to stay focused and do what you want to do. Don't do things that your parents wouldn't do, something like that, or your role models, all right.
Speaker 1:How do you manage to balance between being students, school extracurricular activities and your personal life? How do you balance that? Because I heard Ben say he plays two sports in one season and I heard TO say he plays both ways and plays another sport. How do you balance all of that?
Speaker 2:I just have good time management. I just got to again just stay focused and just have to have good mental and Just physical stability to be able to do both sports and then with schoolwork. Just make sure I get it done. It's got to focus on keep my grades up. It's my goal.
Speaker 3:I think, um, big time management, but at the same time knowing like, like sometimes, like in football, you can get emotionally involved, and just knowing when, like cut that off right after practice. You know I mean because you can't let you know some part of your day affect the rest, especially with your personal life and everything. So I mean like, just being able to like turn switches on and off is a big thing for me.
Speaker 1:All right. Can you share a significant achievement or experience from your teenage years that has had a lasting impact on you, something that's been impactful, that's happened to you as a teenager?
Speaker 3:When I first started playing football, you, my, um, my older brother played with me and, like something that has been mad impactful is one day he sat me down and we were just talking and he was like, bro, you can really like do something with this, you know? I mean, just make sure like you maintain your focus. I think that talk with my brother really um like made me like have a different mindset, especially about like going out and partying and stuff, just understanding that that's not, you know, like maybe one time, but you know it's not everything. So just having that talk with my brother really like had me maintain my focus. So I think that was probably the biggest thing for me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, my dad kind of had the same talk with me, like going into freshman year, like saying, like high school has a lot of obstacles and stuff and the main thing to do is just stay focused, keep motivated towards the goals you want to do and the person you want to be at the end of high school.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Now you guys see a lot of your friends probably not doing the right things. Is that accurate? Oh yeah, how do you hold them accountable? What do you say to them?
Speaker 2:Or do you just stay away from people that aren't doing the right things? I just kind of just don't do it. I mean, I tell them to like not do it, but I've learned that people make decisions based on what they want to do and that you can't really change their opinions.
Speaker 3:You just got to kind of guide them in the right direction, but they won't always do what you tell them to do. You know what I mean. Yeah, for me, um, it's all about who I hang around with. You know what I mean. Like, if I see, like like some of my friends from middle school you know they're still there. We're distant for sure, because I see them doing things that I wouldn't do personally. So you know, it's all about distance. Like making sure, like you maintain you know your values and stuff. So like, if they're out here clowning around doing things that are not supposed to be doing, you know, I just don't want to be involved in that. So I really distance myself from people that, like, aren't going to help me grow.
Speaker 1:I just don't want to be involved in that, so I really distance myself from people that like aren't going to help me grow. So I've been talking to some students here in the last couple of weeks and one of the things that we've been talking about is this old, infamous cell phone policy. Now I want to look at you. I see you falling out of the screen. I just want to get your opinion as to what you guys think about the cell phone policy. But before you start, you got to know I'm in agreement with it. So let me hear what you guys got to say.
Speaker 2:I mean I like it personally because it helps me focus more throughout the day. So like last year, I kind of got distracted by my phone having it out and the teachers wouldn't say anything. But like this year, with it not having it out, it's just kind of helped me like stay focused on doing work and like staying and being more interactive in school.
Speaker 1:Awesome, awesome. That's what I like to hear.
Speaker 3:What about you TO you, to yo? Give me the opposing viewpoint for me. For me it's not like I don't hate it like as much as I thought, because we had the same conversation before before, um, before school even started. But now it's not. It's not as bad as I thought it was going to be. I thought they were going to be like way more strict about it. Like if you're on your phone, like looking at something, and put it back away, they're not going to say much, but, um, I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing. But at the same time, I like to keep in touch with people, like making sure everybody's good and stuff, or like seeing notifications from, like the football group chat or something knowing where to go.
Speaker 1:So it's cramping your style a little bit, it's cramping, my style, for sure. Yeah, all right, cramping your style a little bit, it's cramping my style for sure.
Speaker 1:Alright, now, both of you guys, I mean, you guys have diverse groups of friends, right yeah? How do you build a relationship with friends who have different perspectives, background, ethnicities, and part of my ignorance on this being I would say that most of the kids on the soccer team probably don't hang out with most of the kids on the football team. Is that correct? Oh yeah, that's definitely correct. And TO, most of the kids on the track team, unless they play football, don't hang out. So how do you because you guys are in both those worlds how do you merge the groups? How do you communicate in two different circles and try to get people to realize that everybody is, you know?
Speaker 3:we're all human and we just want to connect. That's a tough question. I know, but just really like I don't think it's necessarily, like it's just we spend most of our time like with us. We spend most of our time with football Like we're all throughout the year.
Speaker 3:And with the track they're all together. So like, once we combine, it's like it's a little awkward because we're not around each other all the time like our groups. But like I think this is all about like their background, like understanding them as people, and then once you start understanding them as people, it really like you really have a connection.
Speaker 2:Like time, it just takes time. Yeah, yeah, what about you? I mean, yeah, kind of the same thing, just like be time, just kind of like being the same person around everybody, just like, don't like change up, you know, and then, just again, just like what TO said, like, with time, you just come together Just be yourself.
Speaker 1:Yeah, be yourself, yeah, be yourself. Yes, sir, of course, all right. Well, any other things you guys want to share about school, anything about yourselves, any shout-outs you want to give out?
Speaker 3:Now is the time to do it. Shout-outs, oh man. Shout-out to my football guys, man, especially my other three. D Lyman, that's not here, that was here. Four horsemen, four horsemen.
Speaker 2:Shout out to them for sure. Yeah, the football team especially. They get put down all the time. But I just don't think people understand all the work that they put in. They work hard every single day and they try their best. It's a big mental thing with football being 0-10 last year and then coming into this year knowing that people aren't going to have like they don't really think that we're going to win, but like we know that we've been working hard and we're going to put out a win this year. I know we are.
Speaker 1:Definitely.
Speaker 2:Big shout-out to them we're going to win. I know we are.
Speaker 1:Definitely. One earlier said we got to have fun, and that's something that I think everybody has to do in this process is to have fun. So, hey, this is out of the mouth of babes the podcast for our youth. We'll be back.