OurSchools

	SAM CILA, THANK YOU FOR SERVING! (May 17, 2010) Evan Cila is a kindergartner at the Aquebogue Elementary School. His dad, Sam, is an Army veteran, who joined the NY National Guard right after 9/11. With the advent of Memorial Day, Evan's teacher, Mrs. Bucholz invited Mr. Cila to come to school to share his story with the children. "Memorial Day is coming up soon," explains Evan's teacher, Mrs. Bucholz, to the assembled group of kindergartners. "And remember that is the day when we remember all the people who have served in the armed forces. Evan's dad, Mr. Sam Cila, is one of those people who served his country. He is going to talk to you." Sam Cila was part of the 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment out of New York. His unit was deployed in October 2004. At the end of his year-long deployment Sam was injured by an IED blast on patrol outside of the Green Zone in Baghdad. "The blast blew out my left side taking with it my brachial artery and almost all of my left bicep and tricep,” shares Mr. Cila on his website (http://www.multisportsoldier.com/). “I spent three years fighting a never-ending battle. I took every opportunity available to me to try and fight the inevitable—amputation.” As a result of his injuries and amputation, Mr. Cila was fitted with a prosthetic hand. Shortly after that he became associated with an organization called Operation Rebound, which is operated by the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF). This Foundation "raises money to help people with physical disabilities pursue an active lifestyle through physical fitness and competitive athletics" (http://www.challengedathletes.org/). "It was another turning point in my life," states Mr. Cila. Mr. Cila's visit with the kindergartners at Aquebogue is meant to both inspire and inform the children about new possiblities in science and the importance of finding hope and support in the midst of sadness. "I'm here because I want you to know about all the possibilities open to you. In this room somewhere are the next scientists, doctors, and maybe dog trainers." (Mr. Cila pauses to introduce his Canine Companion, Gillian, who lies at his feet.) "Some time in the future you might help design new devices to help people like me who have lost limbs." After listening and responding to several stories offered by the children: One of the students in Mrs. Bucholz's class points out that one of her classmates has a canine companion dog. "That is true," emphatically states the little girl with the canine companion. "One of my PopPop's fathers was in the Revolutionary War--the first war--like between the USA and England," states a little boy. "My neighbor's dog broke his two front arms," shares another little girl. Mr. Cila demonstrates how the prosthetic arm works in response to nerves in the arm that act in response to his thoughts. He makes the hand spin around. "I bet nobody here can do that," he challenges. The children give it a try. "However," he notes, "there are some things I can't do yet. How many of you can tie your shoes?" he asks. Several hands go up. "That's something that I can't do yet, and Gillian can't help me with that one. "Would you like to see my hands?" he asks. The children nod vigorously. After a demonstration of how the dog helps him with simple acts, and much to the amazement of the teachers, Mr. Cila passes around several of the prosthetic devices he has and freely lets the children hold them and try them on. One of the devices is designed to do chores around the house. Another one is to help him grip the handlebar of his bike. As part of Operation Rebound, Mr Cila competes in events all over the world in sprint, Olympic and Ironman 70.3 distance triathlons. "Can you swim with this arm?" asks one of the kindergartners when Mr. Cila tells them about the swimming portion of the triathlon. "No," he explains, "I swim without anything on my arm." The children are facinated by the hands, trying them on and learning to make them move, but when Evan leads Gillian around the room at the end of the presentation, all hands reach out to pet and pat the two-year-old Gillian, who seems to really enjoy her part in the performance.

SAM CILA, THANK YOU FOR SERVING!

(May 17, 2010) Evan Cila is a kindergartner at the Aquebogue Elementary School. His dad, Sam, is an Army veteran, who joined the NY National Guard right after 9/11. With the advent of Memorial Day, Evan's teacher, Mrs. Bucholz invited Mr. Cila to come to school to share his story with the children.

"Memorial Day is coming up soon," explains Evan's teacher, Mrs. Bucholz, to the assembled group of kindergartners. "And remember that is the day when we remember all the people who have served in the armed forces. Evan's dad, Mr. Sam Cila, is one of those people who served his country. He is going to talk to you."

Sam Cila was part of the 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment out of New York. His unit was deployed in October 2004. At the end of his year-long deployment Sam was injured by an IED blast on patrol outside of the Green Zone in Baghdad.

"The blast blew out my left side taking with it my brachial artery and almost all of my left bicep and tricep,” shares Mr. Cila on his website (http://www.multisportsoldier.com/). “I spent three years fighting a never-ending battle. I took every opportunity available to me to try and fight the inevitable—amputation.”

As a result of his injuries and amputation, Mr. Cila was fitted with a prosthetic hand. Shortly after that he became associated with an organization called Operation Rebound, which is operated by the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF). This Foundation "raises money to help people with physical disabilities pursue an active lifestyle through physical fitness and competitive athletics" (http://www.challengedathletes.org/). "It was another turning point in my life," states Mr. Cila.

Mr. Cila's visit with the kindergartners at Aquebogue is meant to both inspire and inform the children about new possiblities in science and the importance of finding hope and support in the midst of sadness. "I'm here because I want you to know about all the possibilities open to you. In this room somewhere are the next scientists, doctors, and maybe dog trainers." (Mr. Cila pauses to introduce his Canine Companion, Gillian, who lies at his feet.) "Some time in the future you might help design new devices to help people like me who have lost limbs."

After listening and responding to several stories offered by the children:

One of the students in Mrs. Bucholz's class points out that one of her classmates has a canine companion dog.

"That is true," emphatically states the little girl with the canine companion.

"One of my PopPop's fathers was in the Revolutionary War--the first war--like between the USA and England," states a little boy.

"My neighbor's dog broke his two front arms," shares another little girl.

Mr. Cila demonstrates how the prosthetic arm works in response to nerves in the arm that act in response to his thoughts. He makes the hand spin around. "I bet nobody here can do that," he challenges. The children give it a try. "However," he notes, "there are some things I can't do yet. How many of you can tie your shoes?" he asks. Several hands go up. "That's something that I can't do yet, and Gillian can't help me with that one. "Would you like to see my hands?" he asks. The children nod vigorously.

After a demonstration of how the dog helps him with simple acts, and much to the amazement of the teachers, Mr. Cila passes around several of the prosthetic devices he has and freely lets the children hold them and try them on. One of the devices is designed to do chores around the house. Another one is to help him grip the handlebar of his bike. As part of Operation Rebound, Mr Cila competes in events all over the world in sprint, Olympic and Ironman 70.3 distance triathlons.

"Can you swim with this arm?" asks one of the kindergartners when Mr. Cila tells them about the swimming portion of the triathlon.

"No," he explains, "I swim without anything on my arm."

The children are facinated by the hands, trying them on and learning to make them move, but when Evan leads Gillian around the room at the end of the presentation, all hands reach out to pet and pat the two-year-old Gillian, who seems to really enjoy her part in the performance.