On April 17, 1998, Dr. Asa G. Hilliard, III addressed a conference titled "Celebrating Successes in Education African-American Children." In his presentation, Dr. Hilliard discussed principles and ideas from the book, Every Child Can Succeed, which was a companion to the film series of the same name. He points out that the success of children is more about how well teachers commit to the principles and routines that bring about success. He stresses the importance of having meaningful relationships with the students and argues that academic achievement is not determined by poverty or cultural background. The video concludes with Dr. Betty Jo Webb presenting Dr. Hilliard with an award for his service to the education of African American students.