The GRAMMY Foundation and the San Francisco Chapter brought two-time GRAMMY nominee Ne-Yo to an exclusive question-and-answer session presented by Verizon at Balboa High School. Multi-platinum songwriter and R&B artist Ne-Yo was greeted by a standing ovation from 400 enthusiastic music students.

Balboa High School was selected by the San Francisco Chapter for this opportunity as a way to support their music program, and encourage the students to develop both their creative and business skills. Students asked Ne-Yo about his songwriting process, his life as an artist, and how he sets goals for his own success. Ne-Yo commented on the importance of balancing business and creativity, saying, "To be an artist you have to be emotional, self-conscious, and a little bit crazy. But you also have to be business conscious." He inspired the students to work on their skills now to prepare themselves for their careers in the future. "Get your smarts about you now — for whatever career you are going to get into down the line. Learn the business that you're in. Never let anyone have the upper hand [on you]."

Ne-Yo followed up with this by commenting on endurance: "It doesn't happen overnight. It took me 12 years to get where I am today. Don't let negativity stop you. I'm living proof, if you keep going, you'll get there.... You will get discouraged, when you want something that bad and the door slams in your face. But dust yourself off and get back up and don't let the haters tell you who you are."

For one lucky birthday girl, Ne-Yo invited her onstage and sang "Happy Birthday" to rousing applause. For each class that visited, he performed an a cappella version of hit songs, "Do You" and "Sexy Love." But the event was not about entertainment, it was about encouraging students to dig deeper into what they want to achieve in life. Ne-Yo urged the students to set long-term goals and work toward them everyday. "[A music career is] not about what you see on T.V.," he explained. "If you don't want to put in the work, then you won't succeed. Nobody gives you anything; you have to work for everything. I put blood, sweat, and tears into it and I'm set up for life because of it." He shared advice he received personally from Jay-Z: "A short-term goal will get you a chain, a car. A long-term goal will get you wealth — feed your kids, and feed your kids' kids." Balboa High School teachers encouraged their students to start making goals, and to make active choices such as this artist, who got his start at only 17.