LIVE OAK, Fla. — While attending Suwannee High School, a teacher told Chris Musgrove that he was a talented writer and speaker.

An immature Musgrove didn’t want to hear the praise, instead rebelling.

Next week, Musgrove will be back in Live Oak trying to help Suwannee County youth avoid some of those missteps that he took years ago. The Valdosta resident is bringing his FutureNow non-profit organization to town for three events over Tuesday and Wednesday.

FutureNow will be conducting assemblies at Suwannee High School on Tuesday morning and Suwannee Middle School on Wednesday morning before hosting a community event Wednesday, sponsored by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, at the Suwannee County Coliseum at 7 p.m. Pulled pork sandwiches will be served at the community event and there will also be free giveaways at the event, including Wild Adventures tickets.

“The day programs are strictly vision, purpose and destiny,” Musgrove said Thursday about the school programs. “Where are you going and how are you going to get there and the importance of education.

“Don’t come up and here and say, ‘I hope I’m going somewhere.’ What’s your plan? Guidance counselors love our message because that’s what they’re preaching. Where are you going and how are you going to get there? We have to start guiding now.”

Shortly after Musgrove started FutureNow in 2001, the Suwannee County schools contacted him about bringing his production to town.

He said some of his former classmates were now teachers in the community and weren’t exactly on board with the principal’s decision to invite Musgrove in to speak.

“They asked the principal, ‘Are you crazy?’” he said. “Some of these teachers went to school with me.”

But Musgrove was no longer the immature student that cursed out his ninth-grade teacher for noticing his talents.

“I was the class clown,” he added. “I was an idiot. It was all fun and games.

“I share that story in the schools. She saw something in me, she saw some gifts. You can’t really be anything you want to be, you can be what you’re gifted to be.”

And through FutureNow, he is trying to help change the next generation’s lives now.

While utilizing video, music and lighting during the production, Musgrove said the school assemblies mainly focus on trying to impart the importance of vision to the students. That in order to succeed in life, they need to have a plan in place.

“Everybody has a story and my point is, if you don’t write your story, you might not like the way it’s going to end, so you better get to work,” he said.

The Suwannee County visit is FutureNow’s first of this school year, although Musgrove said the organization may end up with more than a dozen before the school year ends.

There is no charge for any of the FutureNow events, instead the organization relies on the support of local churches, businesses and individuals. Anyone that would like to volunteer or become a sponsor for the event may contact Jordan Daniels at 386-362-9479 or jordanbdaniels@gmail.com.