JFIFC    $ &%# #"(-90(*6+"#2D26;=@@@&0FKE>J9?@=C  =)#)==================================================n" }!1AQa"q2#BR$3br %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz w!1AQaq"2B #3Rbr $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ?rje q;Ӂꠀ)@ 244H$ҧր#^4201Js-RyvI+ڊIWiR\Znv!=3Q0x?:EqL)撗IS7i8C('\sҊ봯ń7ZB $w}3E)l`?uA<$JĻf({d;[{x#Q6JaxnH 73x95NlȴFh) d?ҩ2:H\ tp^5xzwǮ+ P9o0v.4ȩ[YÕTsn'nRy֔f@OMzςc4JGo}t͓'jZ*!(d%b> h(%ղ'p$eKR㦧 >ͬ`# {W+^2jY&x@7Tz fa+#W$mdG;H_溿xEZZ~r zgy3T=ǕϘgV[Xk+בE̋-y,A9'Ұ.Y#{դK6Wр@ӑb YRvRҺEC[8ӓ p,?|[z)LaВxXxk-e۴߮ d5D.}O S IHf{}J6$A32?*${[Wg-$1fR4Q\qy> E cF@s,$idɈUz֓Zj$4C ryVQ"m1WuFMOP32ځpg&Js&ust4Em0%X{V-c)8W$hQ'2INm#v3KtqEChʅs^ ;O>Ip(  +y-Պ,qؚQ\'-W ʢ>:u5-Wb2OHU v;QX"z#6p2EyzEC'#2PlYP=\gjYh¶tv,s|(P` Υ y. ۉyOS]2$+Snn"׊]" '޴4i#drAn7QJPx&ms̄T}~m܃#FAoJ^vPBNj̗<Xbs=[WC3%Yyvm*Q=?t;pe{BF* U+y ?gM$~t-8`TY*a-GF5$N +;>oL6$S١g] ' Cһ[m]ur١,`&b9 `&2V#Rl',8^+w+p4j0]&G q]?wxku}.j6$uY1;+| eFYjҌ4vq5^P9N+"7sZGU&ο8nMW0J.-Ʀ,Uv܊iy^)tQ35mJax+SeFVjE9x*pG)oA@҄YrsКmm4(&8r?ZpVF8` ƺlMI4oT`ժO]\E֢֭4u 1eTyH8$;O'p+n@`09Xf,ZVz'ҧ dؙ$=qi kv9=2*wS:8hpx'O=h (JE ]xfI3k'ƹ[mwOlpC~vZL]@$D]!3snw:tۇrF =]-;'6ϭW}^fIdY²w4VgOu & 1*ŗ|ԟs}BI _\m]讧ԪE4QkDTw?cNּ5o/p?vUtsΛ\w],PBy"D>^XI9,HU v zՃir!-:޵;GsyVfq>rIz\)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