Misguided in America

Hill says it's time to rethink the way we talk to children about their education. "We always tell kids, 'Go to school, go to school, go to school,' but we never tell them why," he says. "The answer is you talk about building a foundation. ... These young people are never taught about journey. They're never taught about going from here to there and where education fits in that piece of the journey."

As a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Hill says anyone can help a child build a stronger foundation by becoming a mentor. "Mentoring is the key," he says. "All data suggests that across income, across race, that for a young man, if he has a positive male role model in his life, his chances for success and educational achievement far outweigh those that don't."

You don't have to be a Big Brother or Big Sister to make an impact—you can change lives in many different ways. "Mentorship on paper works," Hill says. "Mentorship online and technology works. Mentorship works because they just want answers...how do they navigate this journey from boyhood to manhood?"