Richardson student-athlete honored for her acts of service
RICHARDSON, Texas - A Richardson High School student-athlete who has faced her own adversities is being recognized during National Gratitude Month for the work she does with others.
On Friday morning, Avery Farrell, a junior point guard, thought she was showing up to the Richardson High School gym for routine basketball practice.
Instead, she was honored for her acts of service.
"I’m here with you today for the incredible work that you have done both on the court, in the classroom, and in your community," said Faith Davies, a 2017 "Making a Difference On and Off the Field" award recipient.
The "Making a Difference On and Off the Field" campaign recognizes student-athletes who are making a positive difference in the lives of others.
Farrell, who is of the National Charity League, has recently given back nearly 100 hours of service at organizations in Dallas and Richardson.
"It’s awesome we’ve had an opportunity to serve together through the national charity," said Tricia Farrell, her mom.
Farrell’s dad said it was tough keeping the surprise from his daughter.
"It was torture. Ha ha! I was very excited for her and very nervous for her," Brady Farrell said.
Farrell has faced her own struggles.
A year ago, she underwent emergency surgery after her appendix ruptured and was sidelined for months. But she didn’t let that get in the way of her volunteer work.
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"I think Averie deserves everything she’s gotten today. So, I’m real proud of her," said her head coach Kelly Dansby. "It’s impressive. She’s a player who’s a hard worker. She really gets after it."
With the support of family and teammates, Farrell rallied.
Now at the age of 17, she’s a three-year varsity player and one of the top girls’ basketball players in the region.
Off the court, she’s a high honor roll student with a 4.0 GPA.
"I just knew I could get through this and kept that mindset in the back of my head," she said.
Farrell said her favorite thing to do is help other people. Part of her prize for being a do-gooder is a pair of tickets to a Dallas Mavericks game.
No doubt, she’ll use those tickets and her $500 reward to bless others. More specifically, she said she’ll donate some of the money to an organization that helps starving children.
"It’s a good thing to think about how many lives you’re impacting. Just one little service hour could help so many people," she said. "Everybody should try giving a couple of service hours even if it’s something simple and close to home."