On April 17 and 18, 91传媒 welcomed Super Bowl LI Champion, children鈥檚 book author, and literacy advocate Malcolm Mitchell as part of our Courage to Climb Higher Speaker Series. This speaker series aims to explore 91传媒鈥檚 core values, Honesty, Compassion, and Respect, through the lived experience of individuals who have overcome great obstacles in life.

As students shot baskets, played volleyball, and kicked soccer balls around the Morehead Athletic Center, Malcolm Mitchell entered and quietly stood on the sidelines. Watching them play, the Super Bowl champion remarked on the students鈥 enthusiasm, cooperation, and respect for one another.聽

A short while later, students gathered on the bleachers and peppered Mr. Mitchell with questions about his football career, what it was like getting drafted, what it was like playing with Tom Brady, and how he managed to persevere through injuries. He answered all their questions, shared some great insider moments, and then said, 鈥淭omorrow, I鈥檒l tell you more about my story, but I鈥檒l leave you with this: football was the easy part. Of course, I鈥檓 extremely proud of that. But real success? That came from reading.”

Pictured: Malcolm Mitchell reading his book, “The Magician’s Hat,” to Lower Campus students.

The next day, Mr. Mitchell visited both campuses and shared his story. Growing up poor and hungry in a small town in Georgia, he believed that his natural football skills were the only pathway for him to succeed and make his mom proud. He earned a football scholarship to the University of Georgia. 鈥淏ut football came naturally. What no one knew was that I could barely read. And in order to succeed in life, that was the most important skill to have. Even for athletes, it鈥檚 the smartest ones that really go far.鈥澛犅

Embarrassed, but determined, Mr. Mitchell began frequenting the bookstore and the library. 鈥淚 started with picture books. I read all of Dr. Seuss. I loved Shel Silverstein. Eventually, I moved on to chapter books. I pushed myself to read everything I could get my hands on.鈥 What he soon realized was how reading could open up so many worlds, both figuratively and literally. He joined a book club to encourage his newfound love for reading and discuss books with others. He went on to publish his first book, titled 鈥淭he Magician鈥檚 Hat,鈥 before his senior year.

Then, in 2016, all his hard work paid off. That year, he joined the New England Patriots as a wide receiver and founded the 鈥淪hare the Magic Foundation,鈥 an organization dedicated to improving reading interest, enhancing reading skills, and providing free access to books for students of all ages.

鈥淲hen I was a kid, I was scared of books,鈥 Mr. Mitchell said to our youngest learners on the Lower Campus, 鈥渂ut now I know that reading is succeeding.鈥

Pictured: Malcolm Mitchell, 91传媒 Head of School Lisa Sun, and 91传媒 Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Ahmad Cantrell

Malcolm Mitchell鈥檚 story is certainly about the power of reading. It鈥檚 also about how we lead our lives. 鈥淚 try to tell the truth,鈥 he says. 鈥淟ife is not all sunshine and rainbows. It takes perseverance and hard work. And if we want to get the most out of our lives, one of the best ways to do that is to help other people get the most out of their lives. That鈥檚 what I鈥檓 trying to do, I鈥檓 sharing my story to help others write theirs.鈥