6,500. The number of students from all over the state who traveled to Michigan State University to hear motivational speaker Mike Smith at the Josten’s Renaissance Back to School Tour.

The leadership and journalism classes attended the event to hear how to make their school a more accepting place and how to become better leaders in their communities.

“It was very inspirational,” senior Delaney Lauckner said. “I enjoyed that I got to do it for two years. It makes you want to go and do stuff. I really wanna’ make sure that people have role models. All my life I have had phenomenal role models, and I would like to give that to the future in Stockbridge.”

The conference was filled with events such as a dance contest, a live performance from the band Half the Animal and a scholarship awarded by the Find Your Grind campaign to a group of individuals from the state who showed excellent leadership skills in their communities.  PHOTO PATRICK COX/ILLUSTRATION ZABRINA YANNELLA