"I Act With Respect"
A spotlight of inviduals from schools, communities, and from around the world who have taken it upon themselves to "pay it forward" as AWRA Ambassadors. They are vital role models in our society, we humbly thank you, and respect you!
Will Capuano
"Just saying “hello” to someone can have a huge impact"My name is Will Capuano, a sophomore at the University of Dayton, studying Sport Management. I originally graduated from Saratoga Springs High school and now have aspirations to become a basketball coach.
How did you meet Coach Rich Johns?
I met Coach Johns in my senior year of high school when he came and spoke to my varsity basketball team about AWRA. I also knew of Coach Johns because he was well respected in our community, but I didn’t officially meet him until my senior year.
How did you hear about Act With Respect Always?
When Coach Johns spoke to my basketball team, he told us about the mission and history of his program.
How has the Act With Respect Alway mission affected you personally?
Act With Respect Always to this day has a huge impact with how I treat my community, others, and myself. I always remember that something as simple as saying “hello” to someone, has a huge impact on people. I build on this and find ways that I can be as respectful to my peers as possible. Another thing that I learned through practicing AWRA principles, is that I always remember that people act the way that they do because of their background, so there shouldn’t be any reason to treat anybody different because people can’t control how they are raised or what they grew up in.
Please share with us how you have, or will in the future “Pay it Forward”
I have told Coach Johns many times that I want to help spread this movement in any way that I can. I was touched the moment I met him and learned about AWRA. So, I wear my AWRA bracelet and wear my “What’s Your 99?” shirt all around campus, and when people ask me about what the acronym means, I tell them what I think AWRA is all about. Also, when I graduate and enter the “real world”, I hope to promote this movement to the new people and places that I interact with. It’s my dream to start my own basketball training program, and because AWRA found me through sports (and many others), I hope to promote this movement to the athletes that come through.
How would you describe the Act With Respect Always mission to others?
I would describe Act With Respect Always as a movement that gets people to think about being respectful to people in a different way. It really makes one think, how can I make the most out of my day to be respectful to myself, and my peers?
Would you recommend Rich to speak about Respect to others?
Absolutely, it is very possible that I could get Coach Johns to speak at my school, the University of Dayton. One word that is important to every student and faculty member here is community, and what better way to build community than to learn about a different perspective on showing respect? I 100% believe that whoever gets a chance to listen to Coach Johns talk about his movement, they will be touched and educated in ways that they haven’t imagined.