On May, 1 2024 Paul Hutchinson appeared to speak to the students of the American Leadership Academy and was surprised with the presentation of a Statue of Responsibility Award by renowned sculptor Gary Lee Price and Leena Clark-Price, a board member of the Statue of Responsibility Foundation.
As the award was presented to Paul, Leena noted that The Statue of Responsibility features two hands – one reaching up for help and the other reaching down to provide support. She explained that this symbolizes that we each have been the hand reaching up for help at some point in our life, and then, if we are lucky, we will get the chance to be the hand reaching down as well.
Then, speaking directly to Paul, Leena stated, “And you have been both, my friend. I want to honor you for that”.
Following the presentation of The Statue of Responsibility Paul went on to address the students who had gathered there to hear him speak.
He began by telling a story to the students that exemplified the importance of donating to a good cause and giving back, and the benefit to you that comes from generosity. Paul explained that he credits much of the success and blessings in his life to the fact that he was generous to those less fortunate than him, and to the fact that he has donated far more (percentage wise) than most people do. He encouraged the students to give generously to a good cause, and promised that these actions would be rewarded and would pay back dividends throughout your life.
The second point of Paul’s talk focused around the importance of goal setting for a successful life. He encouraged the students to set goals for where they wanted to be 5,10, and 20 years from now. He asked them to consider what they want their lifestyle to look like, what type of home or car they wanted to own, what kind of difference they wanted to make in the world around them, and what kind of relationships they wanted to have with their family and friends.
He then explained that the important thing to achieving these goals was to focus on the destination and the end result you wanted, not to fixate too much on the method that would take you there. Just like you pick a vacation destination, not a method of transportation, the same is true with goals. You need to focus on where you end up, the vehicle that will take you there is irrelevant. By fixing your attention on what you want to achieve, and then by working hard to get there, the method to arrive at your destination will present itself.
Paul went on to give some examples of how the principles of giving generously, and of setting goals and focusing on the destination has led to great success in his life – both in business and in making a difference in the lives of others. He particularly focused on stories of the child rescue missions that he was able to be a part of, and how his hard work and generosity paved the way for him to be in a situation to make such an incredible difference and in the lives of so many children. As he told of his experiences in some of the darkest places on earth, he taught the students that they can each have a tremendous impact on the lives of others if they find a cause they are passionate about and work to achieve it.
As a note of warning to the students Paul explained that most of the traffickers he interacted with appeared just like normal business men and business women, you couldn’t pick them out in a crowd. But one trait they all had in common was ego, arrogance, and greed. He cautioned from personal experience that these traits, if left unchecked, would grow to destroy your life, and would poison your relationships with others, including with your family.
One of the most impactful parts of Paul’s talk was centered around teaching the students that there is truth in the world, and there is a God, a higher power, or an energy out there that is working for good, and that you can listen to that voice of truth, and it will guide you in the difficult times of your life. He gave examples of how this voice of truth was able to guide him on multiple rescue missions, and how it had helped him to uncover multiple trafficking rings and save dozens of children. He urged the students to find a way to listen, and to search for truth in their lives.
To conclude, Paul Hutchinson receiving the Statue of Responsibility Award isn’t just about him—it’s a reminder for all of us to step up. His talk at the American Leadership Academy hit home with lessons about being generous, setting goals, and staying true to ourselves. He shared stories of helping others and warned about the dangers of letting our egos run wild. But most importantly, he showed us that doing good matters and that we all have a role to play. Paul’s words aren’t just inspiring—they’re a roadmap for making a real difference in the world.
