Teen Overcomes Challenges to Change Lives On and Off the Field
Once left out and bullied himself, the high school senior works to promote relationships that last beyond his free one-day clinics for kids with special needs.
As a child, Owen Sarwatka of Lutz says he was often left out on the playground and always picked last for sports. "I didn't have a lot of friends growing up," he said. "I was never really given the opportunity to get involved in games." But the Academy at the Lakes senior always had a passion for baseball, and as he got a little older, a passion for helping others. Now, the young founder of Everyone Can Play! helps children with special needs learn the game that gave him a sense of purpose—and other teens a chance to become involved not only as mentors, but as business leaders. Sarwatka's nonprofit organization, founded in 2010 as an Eagle Scout project, produces day-long clinics for kids with special needs. The clinics, which are …
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