JFIFC    $ &%# #"(-90(*6+"#2D26;=@@@&0FKE>J9?@=C  =)#)==================================================" }!1AQa"q2#BR$3br %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz w!1AQaq"2B #3Rbr $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ?ǏqWA99Qa$! 7ҴalqY1cq#sW#L1>R>OqW= u )6ӊܠqM7sEVJ<2EvSSsVђ#&)!>rup0:s]EL)Ug\(YRA*'[>z"ėl2d''N񕔄-<nPIx?rL&`89E"B:Uz_k2A1'Mh"mAkky~+GܿmՈI_6wbFM i&J}}}Dm]k"bi#E(OP4McV,X|1̹fl1pj2\s_u8 ?+>g͡"4d+8ٵW$}*щc)=UUV-r.qڤy)´Ḻ+1b;3J?ҫ ČFN9Ǒ]=RW[ҟNM>im8?vqgɏqm)(JpO8Jm.(hHR⒔Pb= >[?)]AO1TаGlQ7پBDXx9g9$& YxI_mo;佝rFKe_S}&rB(Rm${0BA4rDuՁ7fNl9QVE$Rړ_δ (.緭%(@]­E-{G87_r=?:\^5έ*2sՆ=ƻm1BpA8,y=Ŝ rpG^ g=Us¦}LnMx-8fs4_},6.׉9k; '8VK]Y#m{D.'j%zyFY}{O;cw):_IzwYB"| ϧDA ]ʞ En8^BLh';T?5io,p&qVB;O0u>_1* ^h̙o۵WDٞa(3:Pqc֜:)$Ij . Oj[H5YP{] ʌg8zh~ʤC ѾU#dr?,2Q}%YoxW\2Ri, w~<²)˘^3vު]i<v-% }{gWL8X<CiR`u bPkT8\,ݎy"$Ya縭v6Hʈr/ jOjyۼEXgg38SBiAA8i N B=V9}58g(8^kWZv,Hx'4ZB籹akZ $|c" Lfͻa%:͗5U{֓8r0EUoCIgTw8.ma7,I8brsHPzrKwY"=%񪊨";Byc|UF(R2$)᱌cҀoTq@~" TI=tFPAϬ,|pm=<ZtOXh1]̥<^YS^Itaq\Ѓm3=K6RifFh lu95=r$1ܫ➎t#C?ڊ]tTv1gǚq fc@y'+WEDe]3_ynR`e*nҲN5d` JO0 >'Ts n`FTU):w#Jp\ Q@u-N@<<)\yyR Ax@ ς{ R籠qE.}R%Vv 5xO7VQ^j0wD 'b]Q]'XdX @W} KKe[8'|WbXRs.^Wv_ RlXyB}V>WN4{P O$'(bx =W"JW] LF ǧK,vv$;H;JJ^7rIz\)z?kdEO88j6Id~m=:pc2nlGvD C)1megD;Pq֥{,y<2c>{hx9QV$1;cҊball in the eighth grade because I was sick of fighting and doing everything within my power for a starting position with nothing to show for my year-round hard work and efforts. It had sucked all of my love for football out of me. When Grandpa Mario found out about this he called and said,  Hang in there Tommy boy. Don t let him get the best of you. I always looked up to my Grandpa and I did not want to let him down. <br>So here I am today, four years later. I am now a senior at Plainview Old-Bethpage JFK High School. I m 5 11 , 205 pounds and the captain of the varsity football, lacrosse, and weight lifting teams. I was voted best athlete in the school by my classmates. I received All-Conference honors in football, was invited to play in the  Long Island Exceptional Senior Game on Thanksgiving Day and was nominated for the BFS High School All-American Team. I owe it all to my Grandpa Mario.<br>If it were not for my Grandpa Mario keeping me in the sport and reminding me of my love for football, I know not where I would be today. He not only taught me how to overcome adversity on the field, but in the classroom as well.<br>I always struggled with my grades growing up but my friends and family did not know why. Finally, when I was in the tenth grade, I was tested by my school and they found that I have a reading disability. Now, knowing what the problem is, I have been able to use the services of my resource room which has helped me learn ways to work around this disability. I may have to work harder than most other students to get the grades I want, but I am willing to do whatever it takes because it s what Grandpa Mario would have wanted.<br>So, if Grandpa Mario is listening to me right now, I would like to say two simple words. Thank you!<br><br><br>__________<br><br><br>Had it not been for y father s influence, Tommy might have given up the game. With the help of his grandfather and his own character, Tom refused to quit the game he loved. From 1991 until the 1996 season prior to his death, Tom s Grandpa never missed a game unless he was in the hospit