Joshua Williams has had an interesting life to say the least and in only 25 years he has been here there and everywhere when it comes to experiences!

From being a scholarship-winning athlete and self taught musician to living on the streets!

Now a youth worker he is going head-to-head with five other hopefuls to be crowned Canada’s Smartest person on this Sunday’s episode of the CBC-TV show.

Joshua is the program director at the Leduc Boy’s and Girl’s Club in Edmonton, Canada.

Each episode will have a winner and then over the course they will head to compete at the final round. Around 30 people will compete over the series! Even he if he doesn’t win, to be recgognized as one of the 30 smartest is pretty awesome already!

Joshua said of the show

“It’s not like your typical intelligence show where they ask you questions and it’s more like trivia,”

“It’s such a wide range of talents that it takes to compete and I felt like I was someone who could do a wide range of things.”

Joshua grew up in Edmonton, at 12 he had various football scholarshop offers and eventually accepted at Simon Fraser University.

A keen multi-instrument self taught muscian he was also accepted to the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Howver he never attended the school!

At 18 University wasn’t working for him, he decided to head home to pursue music. His parents and he clashed and a life on the streets working three jobs took up his life for a short time.

“There’s actually an abandoned bus outside of the church that I was going to and I was sleeping in that for a while until I was able to make enough money to rent a place.”

Walking Calgary’s streets at night, sleeping on the bus and working isn’t exactly a life for a smart man and luckily he found help in extended family after his Aunt and Uncle found him.

He ended up working with kids after a small stint working in oil (which paid well) wasn’t for him,

“I sought a job working with children and youth and I’m very fortunate to have come across where I am right now,”

“I love being in a position to actually influence people in a positive way, share my story and watch people do better.”

Wishing him luck! A life with twists and turns and many more I am sure!