Martin is the founder of Urban Youth Racing School, which uses race-car driving to get kids interested in learning about science, technology, engineering and math. Martin also directs an annual symposium joining inner-city students with professional athletes and other successful role models. What prompted you to start the annual symposium?

I actually heard President Barack Obama speak two years ago — it was his education reform speech — and he talked about the 50 percent high school dropout rate in cities. So I made a couple phone calls and got some of my buddies to come together and do a symposium to talk about what it took to make them successful. Charles Barkley attended the first event.

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