The entire Coe-Brown Northwood Academy student body gathered in the Smith Hall gymnasium today for a special assembly featuring speaker, author and activist Travis Roy. Travis, who became a quadriplegic as a result of an injury 11 seconds into his first college hockey game at Boston University, gave a presentation centered on the following topic:

There are times in our life when we choose our challenges, and other times when the challenges simply choose us; it is what we do in the face of those challenges that defines who we are, and more importantly, who we can and will become.

By sharing his story and lifelong dream of becoming a Division I college athlete, Travis conveyed firsthand the determination and emotional high of overcoming a self-imposed challenge. Travis then shared the experience of having his dream ripped away and the reevaluation of his goals to face the challenge that ultimately chose him.

In the 15 years since Travis’ accident, he has overcome many obstacles. Ten months after his accident Travis returned to Boston University, and four years later he graduated with a degree in communications. He wrote the book, Eleven Seconds, A Story of Tragedy, Courage, and Triumph, and also founded the Travis Roy Foundation, which has raised over $3 million to improve the lives of spinal cord injury survivors and fund medical research.

This assembly was part of the CBNA core curriculum, designed to produce graduates who demonstrate individual responsibility in the home and community, be courteous to and accepting of people of all backgrounds and abilities, demonstrate a desire for lifelong learning, and demonstrate self-reliance tempered with sound problem-solving and decision-making skills. The presentation was repeated later in the day for eighth grade student from surrounding schools.
  

Photo Caption: Coe-Brown students gather around Travis Roy, who was the featured speaker at a special assembly at the Academy today.

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