Alicia Keys encourages students

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WASHINGTON, April 16 (UPI) -- Rhythm and blues singer Alicia Keys visited junior high school students in Washington this week-- something she does in every city in which she performs.

Keys urged a group of eighth-graders students at the R.H. Terrell Junior High School to keep working toward their dreams and not to be dissuaded by those who don't have faith in them, the Washington Post reported Saturday.

"A lot of times, there's people around you, and they tell you what they think you should do, what they think is good for you, what they think you should be," Keys said. "When anybody says 'can't' to you -- they don't know you. They can't know you. So prove them wrong."

Keys helped a student craft a one-sentence plan for making the honor roll, "by completing all my homework and class-work every day."

"You want specific, specific goals," said Keys.

Keys conducts the workshops with her road manager, D.J. Walton, as part of Frum Tha Ground Up, a non-profit organization Walton founded to encourage young people to live productive lives.