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Students find inspiration in Roy By Andrew Lightman/ Staff Writer DOVER - Brenny Costello and the sixth-grade class at the Dover-Sherborn Regional Middle School were thrilled to talk with Travis Roy when he visited their school last Wednesday. After listening to his half-hour motivational speech with the rest of the school, Costello's class jumped at the chance to talk to the real-life celebrity. Hands shot into the air, nonstop, for the entire fifth period, as Roy fielded the most candid of questions about the paralysis he suffered playing hockey for Boston University as a freshman eight years ago. And though Roy only had time to answer a fraction of the inquiries, his audience left feeling satisfied. "I thought it was pretty inspiring, what he has gone through, and how he has tried to overcome it," said Costello. Thanks to a grant from the Dover-Sherborn Education Fund, the sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders got a chance to learn all that, up close. Middle School Headmaster Paul Berkel said the DSEF first paid for copies of Roy's book "11 Seconds," so the sixth-graders could read about the former Boston University varsity hockey player. Then, Berkel said DSEF paid Roy to come talk to the students face to face. "The parents in this community are so generous, and this is the kind of thing we can do with their contributions," said Berkel. Roy relived his life for the students, telling of how determined he was to play hockey at a Division 1 college. Beginning with grade seven, he told how he focused on building his skills on the ice and in the classroom. And when he enrolled at Boston University, his dream came true. "I remember walking through the door with my hockey sticks and thinking I was on top of the world," he said. But after an on-ice accident, 11 seconds into his college hockey career, Roy's dream had ended. Still, Roy is proud of his accomplishment. "That was my dream," he said. "It only lasted 11 seconds, but it was enough for me to know I'd made it. A small kid from Maine, playing Division 1 hockey." And after some time spent thinking about his life, Roy told the students to think about their own values and to set their own goals. "I found out the values that got me that far are the same ones that will help me succeed after my accident," he said. Now Roy works to raise money for spinal cord injury research, and to improve the quality of life of those that suffer from paralysis. While Roy said he has had a lot of support in his recovery process, he knows others are not so lucky. Roy said sometimes he felt lonely trying to live with his disability, but he told the kids he knows he has his life under control. He told the students to set goals early, so they too can feel the joy of making them happen. And the sixth-graders definitely got the message. "I feel sad for him," said sixth-grader Theresa Nguyen. "But I think he's certainly happy with what he's done." Roy came to the school on a grant from the Dover Sherborn Education Fund.
-January 23, 2003 - |
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