Spring Woods High junior wins Scotland trip for essay

Spring Woods High junior Shane Healy has won an all-expenses paid trip to Edinburgh, Scotland, and a once-in-a-lifetime meeting with famous author J.K. Rowling as a result of his winning Scholastic essay. Joining him at the exclusive Dec. 4 Scotland event will be his mother, Denise Healy, who is the Special Education Department chair at Spring Forest Middle School. Shane was named one of only five American student winners in The Tales of Beedle the Bard essay contest, which is sponsored by Scholastic. Students who entered the competition wrote an essay of 200 words or less describing how they have helped others. In addition to the free airfare and lodging, the Healys will be guests at a special gathering with J.K. Rowling at the National Library of Scotland. At Spring Woods High, Shane is vice president of the school’s Thespian Troupe 127. Active in theater productions, he is also involved in Comedy Sportz, the Tiger TV student video broadcast team, and Philosophy Club. He is also an active member of Memorial Church of Christ.

His previous writing credits include a Tall Tales play performed by fourth-graders at Terrace Elementary and the Rising Star Writing Award, which he won in second grade, also at Terrace Elementary.

His mother, Denise Healy, has taught for three years at Spring Forest Middle, where she co-teaches science and also teaches Communications Applications for high school credit. Before that, she taught language arts at Northbrook Middle School. Shane’s sister, Stephanie, graduated from Spring Woods High in May. She now attends Harding University in Searcy, Ark.

Shane’s contest-winning essay contest entry:

I did not realize the importance of helping others until I buried an elderly couple’s dead dog. Lacking the money to cremate Boots, they decided to bury him in their backyard.  Because of his heart condition, the husband called for help.

For the next six hours, I used the shovel like a hatchet on the thick roots.  The dog meant nothing to me; I never met him, but because this couple needed help, Boots was everything.  Exhausted and slapping mosquitoes, I learned the importance of helping others.  Truly helping another means recognizing and fulfilling a need.

This realization changed my life, most notably in my role the past two years as Director of the Back-to-School Shower for an orphanage, the Central Texas Children’s Home.

The children, some abandoned or abused, arrive hesitant, shy, and uncertain.  Their reserves melt away as they tear open stacks of brightly-covered presents with wondrous excitement and dreamlike disbelief.  Then, they proudly strut around wearing their favorite presents, carrying bulging backpacks, and dragging their presents like Santa’s sack.  Last year I heard a girl exclaim, “Look at what I got!  They love me!  They really love me!” 

I help others because I can - and I should.