Olympic medalist Deontay Wilder, a native of Tuscaloosa, Ala., brought his positive example and message to students in Sumter County schools Thursday.

In 2007, Wilder was named the National Golden Gloves Champion and the U.S. National Champion. Then, he broke records in 2008 and was the only U.S. boxer to medal in Olympic boxing in Beijing, taking home the bronze. He also holds the record for the second fastest knock-out in a boxing match Wilder was only a few seconds behind the fastest knock-out; that record is held by Mike Tyson.

"I always tell them that quitting is always easy," said Wilder. "That's the easiest thing in the world to do, is quitting. I try to encourage those guys to never give up and just keep going."

Children of the Village brought Wilder to Sumter County to speak with students at Livingston High School and Sumter County High School.

"In today's society, there are so many negative things out in this world," said Wilder. "So for me to come in and see so many people call me famous, for them to come in and listen and see me, I feel good about myself at the end of the day."

Wilder's focus was to influence young people away from drugs, and to get the message out that quitting is not the way to succeed in anything.