Khalid, who for a while attended Carthage Central School, was scheduled to perform in Syracuse Friday night.

According to Assistant Superintendent Jennifer Premo, although he did not perform for the students, he spoke to them about songwriting and played a few sound bites recorded on his cellphone.

“He said he sometimes comes up with a song from just a beat, humming and talking nonsense,” said Premo.

Also included in his brief talk with students were messages of the importance of staying in school and listening to teachers.

Khalid, left, talks with students at Carthage Central High School following a school assembly. (Provided photo — Elaine Avallone, Johnson Newspapers)

“It meant a tremendous amount to our staff and students to have him visit,” said Premo.

“They are so proud of him, He went from this small town to do great things. The community has a great sense of pride and connection with him.”

Following his talk in the school auditorium, he met with a handful of students and staff members.

While talking with the superstar, Paul Mestre, a Carthage student, said he was affected by Khalid’s lyrics.

Paul shared he also wrote music under the name Cloud and wanted to impact others as Khalid had affected him. He said he relates to clouds as they absorb so much, then let it all out as people do with emotions.

Khalid poses for a photo with students during a visit to Carthage Central High School Thursday: from left, Shannon Thornton, Dorcas Martinez, Mitchel Peets, Khalid, Riely Fleener and Paul Mestre. (Provided photo — Elaine Avallone, Johnson Newspapers)

“You are real about it — you’re an inspiration,” Mestre told Khalid.

Khalid encouraged the students to give 100 percent, to challenge themselves and seek to achieve their dream.

“Don’t settle,” he told them. “If we are all settlers, there is no progress.”

He talked with Dorcas Martinez about songwriting.

“Songwriters are the most important part of the industry,” he told the aspiring lyricist.

Coach Jason Coffman and Josh Demko pose for a photo with Khalid. (Provided photo — Elaine Avallone, Johnson Newspapers)

Carthage instructors, who taught Khalid D. Robinson while he attended Carthage High School from 2012 through 2015 for his freshman through junior years, had the opportunity to visit.

“It was great to see him, and it was great for the kids,” said high school science teacher Heather Randall-Neville.

“It was good for the kids to see someone who walked these halls and knew the same teachers to go on to do so much,” said Spanish teacher Sonja Williams. “Then come back and tell them school is really important.”

Williams was the coach for the step dance team of which Khalid was captain.

“I wish I would have taken more advantage of the moments when I was here,” said Khalid. “High school is the most important thing. You’ve got to finish it.”

Sonja Williams’ daughter Shantelle Williams, who is also a Spanish teacher at the school, teased Khalid about unfinished homework assignments.

“I think about the homework I didn’t do and time when I didn’t pay attention to what teachers had taught, but some of that is clicking now,” he said. “I am not the person I was as a freshman. I have matured a lot in this career. You have to — they throw you to the wolves. That’s why it was important for me to come back here.”

After giving hugs to his former teachers, Khalid left to wander the hallways for a bit before leaving for a visit to Fort Drum, where his mother, Linda Wolfe, had been stationed.

The Williams said they had attended a performance by Khalid in 2017 in The Velvet Room in Toronto, “before he made it big.”

“We spoke to him backstage,” Shantelle Williams said. “He said then when he made it big he would come back to the school. He said then he was going to get a Grammy.”