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L.E.A.D. Instructor Education - BS - Northwestern University
Passion - Family, Education, Football
Background - Harold Blackmon was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago. Growing up, Harold experienced some of the same issues that many kids face today. While in elementary school, Harold was teased and called slow. By the time he left high school Harold was not only the fastest person on his team but also the fastest person in his school. Harold also used motivation from his principal to inspire him to study hard while in high school. As a result of his hard work in the classroom and on the field Harold was awarded a full athletic scholarship to Northwestern University.
While at Northwestern University Harold served as a four-year starter at defensive back, winning two Big Ten conference championships and also being named team captain in his senior year. As a player at Northwestern, Harold achieved many awards including all conference and the Marcel Price award given to the most dedicated defensive back. December of 2000 still stands as one of the proudest moments in Harold’s life. This date meant that Harold not only became the first high school graduate in his family, but also the first college graduate. This is an accomplishment that many people told him that he would never achieve. Harold currently holds a Psychological Services Degree from the School of Education at Northwestern University.
After college Harold was drafted in the NFL by the Seattle Seahawks and played under Coach Mike Holmgren. Currently Harold is happily married to his high school sweetheart and they have an eight-year-old son. Through coaching football and public speaking over the past several years, Harold realized that there is a need for positive role models in the lives of our youth. Today Harold’s mission is to spread his words of encouragement and share his struggles with students and parents across the country. His message reaches across all cultural backgrounds, social & economic statuses, and life experiences. Harold’s inspirational story is a must-hear for all students, parents, and teachers.
“The difference between you and I is that I already know I am special. You just have to realize that you are too.”—Keke Palmer |
