By JUDY RATTNER
from Senate Deputy Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) during the 27th annual Senate Disability Awareness Day at the State Capitol in Albany recently. This award recognizes the recipient's ability to overcome personal and physical challenges and celebrates his or her accomplishments and contributions to the community.
During his high school career, despite being born with Down's syndrome, Brett was placed in the maximum number of mainstream programs. He achieved consistent grades in the 90s and graduated from SSHS in 2006. Not only a scholar, Brett is an accomplished athlete as well. His participation in the sport of sled hockey has made Brett a well-rounded and respected young man. An integral player on the Long Island RoughRiders Sled Hockey team, Brett has competed along the east coast, in central and Eastern Canada and Cardiff, Wales. At the completion of the Wales tournament, the opposing team's captain presented Brett with his jersey as an honor for the player of the game.
Skelos had previously met Brett when he attended a RoughRiders practice. The purpose of the meeting was to say hello, but members of the team convinced the senator to get on the ice and play with them for a while, convincing the senator of how difficult and intense the sport is.
"Brett is an impressive young man with an immense amount of talent and potential," said Skelos. "After mixing it up with him on the ice, I saw firsthand his competitive nature and passion for the game he loves. He has an outstanding work ethic and a wonderful outlook on life, and I am honored to award him the Achiever's Award."
