Choices determine outcomes.

This was one of the many messages Ben Minnifield conveyed to students at Warren Central High School during the school’s annual Black History Month program, Wednesday.

“Life is about choices,” Minnifield said, “So I want you to picture yourself 10 years from today. Who will you be, what will you be and how will the choices you make impact your life. That’s a question you have to ask yourself.”

Minnifield, who works with youth groups on STEM and character development training opportunities and is the owner of the LeMont Scott Group, pointed out that some in the audience will make good choices and take advantage of educational opportunities and work toward their goals, while others will be focused on temporary pleasures that will get them no where.

“Some of you are going to achieve the highest of the highs and somebody in here will be dead before they are 30 or in prison,” he said, and this will be due to the choices they make.

During the half-hour program, Minnifield also encouraged the students to choose their friends wisely.

“I am going to tell you how you know you are going to be successful.  You need to look at the five people in your life that you call your best friends. If any of the five are not moving towards a destiny of greatness, or if they are telling you what you cannot do, or if they are not speaking power to life, you better remove those people from your life,” he said.

After sharing with the students about how choices will determine life’s outcome, he reminded them about what Black History month embodies.

“Black History month is a representation of what Black people used to be in this country,” he said.

“You don’t know what it is like to be a slave. I don’t know what it is like to be a slave. You don’t know what it is like to live in the midst of Jim Crow and legal segregation,” Minnifield said.

“You don’t know what it is like to be attacked at a lunch counter. You do not know what it is like to be physically beaten so you can vote. So everything we take for granted, that is what Black History month celebrates. It is a celebration of sacrifice. It is a celebration of commitment. It is a celebration of America. It is a celebration of humanity.”

Minnifield encouraged every one there to strive to become a true leader.

“Leadership is not about a title. Leadership is about responsibility.”

Malek Rader, a junior at WCHS said he found Minnifield’s message motivational.

“I though it was a very powerful speech. It was very inspirational,” Rader said.

Ashanti Chin, who is a sophomore at the school concurred.

“It was good and encouraging, Chin said.