Students attending Escambia County schools were treated to a visit on Thurs., Aug. 20, from Chad Varga, a noted motivational speaker for teens.
Escambia County School Superintendent John Knott said he has been working on getting Varga to speak to students throughout the county school system for some time.
“It finally worked out for us and he could fit it into his schedule,” Knott said. “We are lucky to get Varga. He has a great connection with the kids.”
When disasters have visited schools, such as Columbine and Virginia Tech, Varga is one of those who has been called in to help.
Statistics show that 250,000 kids carry weapons to school and 2,800 teenage girls are raped each day in the United State.
Varga has spoken to more than 3 million people throughout America and has been a featured guest on many American television and radio networks. He has won several awards and was nominated as one of the Real Richest People in America for his work with students.
“My message to teens include the need for respect for others,” Varga said. “Young men should respect these young ladies.
In the years since Varga gave up a promising career in basketball, he has devoted his life to helping teens avoid some of the same pitfalls that he suffered in his past.
He grew up in Detroit, Mich. in a home that was filled with turmoil. His mother was an alcoholic and even served some time in prison for drug trafficking.
When his parents divorced, he and his sister were left in the custody of their mother. The next few years he was often abandoned and abused, at the hands of his mother and her friends.
His mother stabbed him at the age of 13 and after an altercation with one of her boyfriends, he went to spend some time with his father. When his father’s health began to fail, he was returned to his mother.
He was able to overcome his problems and go on to inspire others to do the same.
He was a high school All-American in basketball and went on to star in the Big East Conference at the University of Pittsburg. After college, he fulfilled his dream of playing professional basketball.
Then at the age of 25, and at the peak of his career, he realized he had a lot more to offer than basketball. He is now the CEO of The Chad Varga Company and has established a reputation as a teen communication expert who relates with students.
“I looked around and saw what was happening in schools and knew that I had to do something,” Varga said. “Many people thought I was crazy to quit basketball, but I don’t regret it. If I can help a teen and stop some of the madness, it is worth anything that I may have given up.”
Other things have changed, too. Varga said he has repaired his relationship with his mother and she often travels with him and sits in the audience when he is speaking to a group of teens.