At just 11 years old, Donny Leavell, a fifth grader at Merriman Park Elementary, is already learning an important lesson: sometimes the things that feel the hardest can lead to the biggest rewards.

Donny, whose favorite school subject is “recess” (of course!), loves wrestling, playing football, and video games. Writing hasn’t always come easily to him, but with encouragement from his teachers — and a willingness to try something new — he recently earned an impressive honor. Donny won both the local and district-level Lions International Peace Essay Contest, advancing his essay to the next levels of international competition.

This year’s theme, “Together as One,” struck a personal chord. Donny drew inspiration from his flag football team and the way teammates supported one another on and off the field. “It reminded me of how we all played well together,” he shared. His essay emphasizes teamwork, kindness, and the courage it takes to step outside your comfort zone — even when it feels scary.

Donny approached the writing process thoughtfully, brainstorming ideas and organizing his essay with a clear beginning, middle, and end. While he was nervous at first, reflecting on his football season made the experience meaningful — and even enjoyable. When he found out he had won, his reaction was simple and genuine: “Oh, cool!” followed by total surprise.

His mom says the achievement was especially meaningful for their family, as no one had ever entered an essay competition before. She credits Donny’s incredible teachers and the support of Merriman Park Elementary for helping him grow into the student he is today.

Born with albinism, Donny has vision challenges that can’t be corrected with glasses or surgery. Thanks to years of vision therapy and adaptive technology in the classroom, he continues to thrive. His message to other kids? “Just go for it.”

And that may be the most powerful lesson of all.