2000 Essay/Poetry Contest

Lucy Chemdurow, Grade 10
Teacher: Mr. Conrad Davis
Chaparral High School
Scottsdale Unified District

Second Place — Secondary (Grades 9-12)

Another Hero

I met a hero last year, quite by chance. I hadn't intended to find such a person the weekend I visited my sister at her University. However, amidst the hugs and the chatter about college life entered a most extraordinary person. His name is Mike Cottingham.

I was taken aback when Mike came into my sister's dorm room, laughing and eager to make plans for a fun night out. Mike was in a wheelchair, and at first I was a bit hesitant around him. He immediately put me at ease with his wit and self-effacing humor. I learned that Mike has always lived in a wheelchair. Some people might use such a disability as an excuse for being unsuccessful, just like some people might use the color of their skin or their economic status to excuse their shortcomings. Mike didn't. The university offered Mike a scholarship not only because of his academic excellence but also because of his extensive volunteer work. Mike works for free, helping kids cope with disabilities. He works with them at sports camps, teaching wheelchair basketball and tennis. Mike spends each summer traveling throughout the United States volunteering for handicapped kids. He counsels them, is a friend to them, and teaches them what you look like does not make a difference in the kind of person you are.

Mike views his handicap as an opportunity to help others. He is proud of who he is. Mike taught me that what you look like should never make you feel inferior. Just like Martin Luther King, Mike helps everyone see that what matters most of all is following your dreams and treating people with kindness. He is a hero.