Dr. Ben Carson Brings Message of Hope, Responsibility to Boys & Girls Clubs Annual Fundraiser

Dr. Benjamin S. Carson Sr. told Boys & Girls Club members, their parents and community supporters Wednesday that seeking solutions rather than making excuses would help young people succeed.

“If someone never accepts your excuses, you stop making excuses,” Carson told the crowd of about 500 people gathered at the Mountain Christian Church in Joppa for the Boys & Girls Club 21st Annual Steak & Burger Dinner.

“You start looking for solutions,” he said.

Carson, who struggled academically in elementary school, is now a world-class pediatric neurosurgeon and a full professor of neurosurgery, plastic surgery, oncology and pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Carson attributes much of his success to growing up with a mother who would not tolerate failure.

Despite his parents’ divorce and his mother’s limited third-grade education, Carson saw her work three jobs as a domestic to keep from going on welfare. 

“She never became a victim,” Carson said.

Carson said his family grew up poor, but that they used education to overcome challenges. He also encouraged the students to consider “delayed gratification” rather than trying to obtain nice clothes, fancy cars and fine houses prematurely.

Carson said that the first 20 to 25 years are spent preparing for the future or not preparing for it. The average life span is about 80 years.

“You have 60 years to reap the benefits,” Carson said. “You have 60 years to suffer the consequences.”

Carson also said that even average students could be taught high-level mathematics. But it requires a solid mathematical foundation, he said.

“A lot of young people who don’t think they’re bright are bright,” Carson said. “We need to spend a lot more time worrying about how our young people get the basics of education.”

Carson prefaced his remarks with a disclaimer.

“It is not my intention to offend anyone and if anyone is offended, too bad,” Carson said. “I do not believe in political correctness. How can you have an intelligent conversation if you can’t say what you mean? That doesn’t make any sense.”

Carson also told the crowd peppered with young people from Aberdeen, Bel Air, Havre de Grace and Edgewood that it is important to give back once success is realized—it is, or at least should be, the American way.

“We are people who do not give up. We are people who are proud of who we are,” Carson said. “We have values. We have principles. We believe in God. We believe in each other.”

Samantha Stokes, of Aberdeen, who won the Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year award, said she was inspired by Carson’s story. Stokes is working to become a pediatric nurse.

“He sees that things do need to change and people need to step up,” Stokes said of Carson.

Louis and Phyllis Friedman, who own Stack & Store Mini Storage with locations in Aberdeen, Edgewood and Joppa, donated Carson’s honorarium.

“The message is that you have to apply yourself,” said Louis Friedman. “If you read and study, you can do anything in this world.”

His wife, Phyllis, agreed.

“It’s not good enough to be smart, but you have to be smart and work hard,” Phyllis Friedman said. “It’s important to make the best of your God-given talent. But it’s important to help others.”

Randy T. Acosta, executive director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Harford County, said people usually leave special events excited but it is important for them to visit the clubs and tell others to go see what young people are doing.

 “We don’t just put a ball on the floor,” said Acosta.

Boys & Girls Clubs across Maryland now further Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs in a way that even Maryland's public schools don’t. The STEM program at the Aberdeen's Boys & Girls Club makes use of the facility's computer lab, where kids can use the Internet to work on STEM projects, play games and do homework.

The business community is apt to donate volunteers before actually giving money and the interaction and mentoring programs help young people achieve even greater success, Acosta said.

“Years ago we used to be a gym and swim,” Acosta said. “We’ve switched gears. We pick up where the schools leave off."