Students and staff members had an opportunity to listen to nationally recognized motivational speaker Rohan Murphy at the High School’s winter pep rally. His message was so inspiring that he also came back to the district and presented an assembly program on overcoming adversity to sixth-graders at the Middle School.

Born with a physical disability, Mr. Murphy showed his spirit and determination at a young age before becoming a star wrestler for East Islip High School and an exceptional athlete and graduate of Penn State University. He shared that his positive attitude and work to overcome many challenges in his life were powered by his goals, motivation and perseverance.

Mr. Murphy’s inspirational speeches have been featured in numerous national publications and he appeared in a Nike commercial to motivate people to create a healthy lifestyle.

Sponsored by the Wildcat Athletic Club, Mr. Murphy shared some of his daily exercise routines and winning wrestling moves. Numerous students gravitated to him after his speech to share their own experiences and appreciation for his encouraging words.

When High School Principal Mr. Frank Pugliese thanked Mr. Murphy for his talk, he echoed the sentiments that were presented to the students, reminding them to not let obstacles get it their way and to keep moving forward.