Yellowknife (Mar 10/03) - Retired Edmonton Eskimo Henry "Gizmo" Williams captivated Sir John Franklin students with an energetic speech Friday.

The famous football player was in Yellowknife as part of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind's Visions dinner fundraiser the following night.

He spent Friday talking to students at Sir John Franklin and Range Lake North to promote the stay-in-school philosophy.

Williams spent 17 years playing professional football -- 14 of those years in the Canadian Football League with the Edmonton Eskimos.

The 40-year-old was born in Memphis, Tenn. He grew up in a ghetto where the school had a high fence and the kids were searched every day for weapons.

"Can you imagine? It was like being in a prison," he said.

His mother died when he was young but he went on to graduate high school and get a degree in physical education.

He told students that no matter how hard school seems, it's harder to function without an education.

"Every day you go to school it's a blessing," he said.

"If you don't get an education, everything is limited for you guys."

"Education is the foundation of whatever you want to be in life," he said as he walked up and down in front of the students.

"Going to school is not easy. If it was easy people wouldn't be dropping out. But there is a big light at the end of the tunnel."

He finished off by telling the students to respect their teachers and parents, and to appreciate what they have.