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Student to compete in wheelchair games
High school students have received their fair share of bad press recently, but in Berkeley, it is teens like Lamille Perry who represent what young people can accomplish.
As the vice president of the Berkeley High School class of '02, Perry is hoping to use his leadership skills while competing for team USA in Australia this summer.
Perry is currently raising funds to travel to Australia to compete in an international disabled sports competition that takes place every two years. He was introduced to international competition through Berkeley Outreach Program (BORP), and will be competing in 10 track and field events; the 100, 200, 400, 800, and 1,500 meters, the team relay, the shot-put, javelin, discus throw and the pentathalon.
When asked how he prepares for so many events, he said, "I work on the sprints every day but I don't really practice the other stuff."
That’s not to say he is weak in the other events — Perry brought home first place in all ten of his events at the Australia competition two years ago .
He is no stranger to out of state competition and has traveled to St. Louis and Oklahoma for events. He has also been to the national championships for wheelchair basketball with his local team, the Bay Cruisers, one of four junior league wheelchair basketball teams in California.
Perry's love of sports has been an ongoing affair since he was young. He has been playing wheelchair basketball for thirteen years (he is now 17 years old), and it is one of his favorite pastimes.
Sports is not his only interest however. Besides aspiring to compete in the Para-olympics one day, and possibly earn an athletic scholarship to play collegiate sports, he wants to be a doctor.
His eyes light up at the thought of going to college and playing college sports.
“I just want to work hard and do my best ... so I can attain my goals,” he said.
He enjoys working on the computer, talking to girls, and science is his favorite subject. He loves to learn new things as well as teach them which he gets the opportunity to do as a tutor at Young Adults Program (YAP) where he works after school.
Perry was born two months premature with Cerebral Palsy, a congenital disease that affects the muscular and nervous system, which required him to be hospitalized and hooked up to a life-saving respirator for the first few months of his life.
His determination to meet goals he sets for himself is inspiring to say the least.
Perry must reach the $3,000 mark before he sets out for Australia. If you or someone you know is interested in donating to Lamille's travel costs, please send donations in his name to Paige Jackson in the Administrative office at:
Berkeley High School
2223 Martin Luther King Way
Berkeley, CA 94704
Dan Seeman is a student at Berkeley High School
