Spy Ponder Places 2nd in Statewide Essay Contest

Spy Ponder athlete Remy Pontes, a student at , is the second-place winner of a sportsmanship essay contest at the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association.

Pontes, who plays varsity hockey and baseball, wrote about how athlete students can make a difference in the community.

“A goal to strive for is that those contributions made by student athletes will create a ripple effect reaching out to those most in need,” wrote Pontes, a junior at the high school. “In considering the future, these positive influences will hopefully extend beyond our high school years.

In his essay, the student athlete talks about the importance of being a leader on and off the field.

“But athletes can contribute not only by scoring the winning goal in sudden-death overtime, but by considering their status as a role model seriously, by persuading even one student to reject the use of drugs and alcohol and pursue good grades,” he wrote.

Pontes will receive a $300 cash prize and recognition plaque on Friday, Nov. 18, as part of the 18th Annual Sportsmanship Summit at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

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