Ron Howard is an award-winning actor, film director, and producer. He came to prominence as a child actor, playing Opie Taylor in the sitcom "The Andy Griffith Show" for eight years, and later as the teenager Richie Cunningham in the sitcom "Happy Days" for six years. Howard made film appearances in "American Graffiti" in 1973 and made his directorial debut, at age 23, with the 1977 comedy film "Grand Theft Auto." He left "Happy Days" in 1980 to focus on directing, and created a string of popular films, beginning with "Splash" and "Cocoon." Howard went on to form his own company to independently produce films, directed "Parenthood" and "Backdraft" and produced "Kindergarten Cop" and "My Girl" which have grossed more than $2 billion worldwide. He has since gone on to direct the Oscar winning "Apollo 13," "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," and "A Beautiful Mind." This multi-talented artist is responsible for some of the most memorable moments in the history of entertainment. In 2002, he won the Oscar for Best Director for "A Beautiful Mind” which also won the 2002 Oscar as Best Picture. In 2003, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts. Ron Howard participated in the 1997 Achievement Summit in Baltimore, Maryland and spoke to the student delegates about his life and career.