Jim Smith: Want More, Do More, Be More.

NEWSFLASH:  You can have a bunch of fancy schmancy degrees and still give back.  Jim Smith shows you how.

Jim Smith is one of my heroes.  So often, we buy into the dichotomy that you have to either make a lot of money and forget the people or love the people and be broke.  However, Jim Smith, with a mind trained in physics, technology and business has devoted his life and significant brain power to crafting more effective and efficient ways to mentor and teach life development skills to at-risk youth.    He looks back on his days in subsidized housing and knows that it was education and a strong family that helped him avoid becoming a statistic, and he is determined to create opportunities that will do the same for others.

After attaining his MBA from the prestigious Wharton School of Business, Jim Smith formed the Digital Network Group and established the Kinetic Potential (KP) Scholars Program. 

The KP Scholars Program is a long-term mentoring and life development program that reverse engineers the career development process for the youth living in local communities.  In regular people talk, that means they help youth structure a path from where they are now to their ultimate goals.  The program develops detailed blueprints that guide children in how to achieve their biggest and brightest dreams.    If you are 10 years old, and want to be a judge, investment banker (ok, maybe not in this market), or a doctor—KP Scholars gives you a step-by step, year-by-year plan of what you should do.  It then provides a long-term mentor to help the children navigate their way through life and toward their goals. 

The KP Scholars Program also takes all the available social and educational programs and makes them accessible resources for kids.  They expose kids to programs and assistance and technology they never knew were available to them.

 Jim’s program incorporates the latest advancements in immersive education, social networking and service integration to develop the future leaders of tomorrow.   Our children need a plan.  Aspirations and dreams are rarely realized because they are seldom accompanied by concrete plans.  In an economy that is becoming increasing global, Jim Smith is making sure that our young people have the knowledge and resources to compete with the best the world has to offer.

He believes socio-economic status should not define the potential for one’s life.  The world is wide open with opportunity for our kids, but it is up to us as a community to promote these opportunities and take advantage of them.  The KP Scholars Program is a lighthouse for a lot of kids who are currently lost at sea.

 Jim’s academic background consists of a BA in Physics from Occidental College, MS in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from the University of Massachusetts and an MBA from the Wharton School of Management with a concentration in finance and entrepreneurship.  Whatever all those words mean, I just know its great to see someone take education seriously and then devote his life to educating others.  I’m sure with that alphabet soup Jim could have left us all for the country club years ago, but he decided to stay and create a better future for us all.  

Jim is originally from Bridgeport, CT and currently resides in Maryland with his daughter.  A devoted father and example for us all, thank you Jim Smith for Doing Better.

To find out more about Jim Smith and the Kinetic Potential Scholars Program, check out KPscholars.net or Jimsmithonline.net.