GO MAKE A DIFFERENCE — Motivational speaker David Kohout spoke to students at Buckeye Local on Oct. 14. His message: “You Matter.” -- Contributed

CONNORVILLE — Buckeye Local Junior/Senior High School students learned a vital message from motivational speaker David Kohout during his program on Oct. 14. The message: You matter.

Sponsored by the Jefferson County Juvenile Court, the Youngstown resident and co-author of “Standing in the Presence of Greatness,” met with dozens of pupils in grades 6-12 in the school theater to inspire greatness within them. Kohout founded Talk is Cheap, a nonprofit organization that focuses on building character, establishing confidence and instilling hope in the lives of young people everywhere. His program, “Talk is Cheap … The Message Isn’t,” followed his early years as a wayward youth who eventually found his footing and his faith.

Kohout said he had low school grades, drank, used drugs and hit a low point in his life where he contemplated suicide. He realized, however, it was a permanent solution to a temporary problem.

“I’m not proud of what I did in high school,” Kohout began. “It started in middle school. The difference between following and leading is the view. A better view would be if you say, ‘I’m going to make different choices.’ The reason I’m talking to you is to tell you that you matter so much.”

He explained choices have consequences. Kohout described an incident in 1981 where his friend, Vic, tried to influence him to find a purpose, but Kohout’s response was to argue and walk away. He said he faced a dark time and prayed to God to help him, if he was real.

“I wasn’t better; I was bitter,” he told the students. “I didn’t know how to fix me and I didn’t know how to change.”

But several incidents would happen a few weeks later that changed his life. During a trip with his girlfriend’s (now wife’s) family, they dined with her relatives. He later learned they silently prayed for him to improve his ways. He later encountered a man who handed Kohout a piece of paper and said God loved him.

“He shared a story and paper with three addresses,” Kohout recalled. “The first two meant nothing to me, but the third was from Youngstown. It was across the street from Vic’s house — the spot where I prayed to God. My life changed so radically and I began to go to church. The greatness seed will not grow unless you feed it.”

He eventually married his high school sweetheart and became a father and grandfather, worked in sales. He was determined that his mission was to help others. He established his organization, wrote his book and traveled the globe for more than 20 years to speak to a million students and adults.

Kohout’s presentation touched upon bullying and the importance of helping others, using videos and a PowerPoint to highlight his message. He assured youth they had a purpose in their lives and offered free bracelets and “purpose pebbles” as reminders of that fact. Kohout noted five elements of a relationship, including love, trust, self-respect, understanding and forgiveness. He encouraged students to make the most of their lives and be better for it.

“We need to work on ourselves, not everyone else,” he exclaimed. “You may fail, but quitting is not an option. I know I can’t change my past, but I can rewrite my future.”

Kohout said he will continue to carry on his message, although it isn’t easy.

“My job is to connect to younger people, but I’m getting older and you are getting harder and harder to convince.”

He closed with a story about how he was inspired to spread his message when high school classmate Chris Sutton succumbed to cancer. He hoped future generations would continue to be a positive source for others.

“Shut up, get up and go make a difference,” he concluded. “I want you to do better than I have done for you.”

He shared the Lifeline suicide hotline at (800) 273-TALK.

Kohout’s website can be found at SITPOG.com.