West Potomac High School hosted the BAM BAM Summit on Wednesday for students ready to work toward life changing goals. The Future Leaders of America (FBLA) organized the summit which featured three local businessmen who worked their way to the top.

"A good speaker is always good motivation," senior basketball captain Daryl Copeland said. "I want to go to college and play basketball or football. Motivation and hard work will get me there."

Local Sun Trust Mortgage branch manager and Alexandria City Councilman Frank H. Fannon spoke to the students about the importance of attitude and academics. Using his own business and community success, he inspired the students to find a passion in life and work hard for it.

"If you want to be successful in life, you can't sit around waiting for something to happen," Fannon said. "You don't make it happen, guess what? It doesn't happen. That's the great thing about America as a country. If you're not lazy, America is the best place to succeed."

Basin Mansour, owner of local Michael & Sons Services, compared the students in the room to his own teenage situation over 20 years ago. Between startling the students with his family's poverty stricken beginnings or awing them with flashy descriptions of his current dream home and car, Mansour got the kids interested in his message about mind and money.

"Rule number one: don't give up. It is not an option," Mansour said. "Every day I fight, and not with my fist, but with my heart. If you don't work today, you will cry tomorrow. If it's something you love, you should work your butt off for it."

Personal trainer Gary Brown, blasted out 100 pushups in time to the audience's count, demonstrating the body and buddy part of the summit. He touched on the importance of hanging out with the right friends and respecting your body.

"You have to be better than the next guy to be successful," Brown said. "You want to be around people who are likeminded. Don't hang out with people who do drugs, you will lose focus. How do you get doors opened up for you? You stay focused and work hard."

For the next three to six weeks students will keep track of the goals they submitted to the FBLA and be congratulated on the changes they've accomplished. In the spring, fifty students who have worked hard toward their goals will be invited to a celebratory lunch with BAM BAM co-organizers Rebecca Schott and Daryl Mackey.