Iraq vet inspires National Honor Society students

More than 100 National Honor Society students who gathered for a symposium Thursday at Grayslake North High School received motivation from a woman who lost a leg in the Iraq war and went on to participate in the Paralympic Games.

It was Grayslake North's turn to host the symposium for all Fox Valley Conference schools. Part of the day had juniors and seniors participating in small-group discussions on community service.

Melissa Stockwell, 30, of Chicago, launched the event with an hourlong presentation and question-and-answer session.

Stockwell was part of a convoy on routine duty in Iraq in 2004 when the vehicle she was riding in was hit by a roadside bomb. An image of the blown-apart Humvee flashed on a screen as she got to that part of her story.

"No one told me at that moment my leg was gone," Stockwell said, "and I didn't ask."

Stockwell said her husband and parents provided tremendous support as she recovered from the loss of her left leg. As she improved, the former gymnast and high school diver was determined to get back into athletics.

After she started swimming, Stockwell became competitive and achieved a goal of making the U.S. Paralympic team for Beijing in 2008. While she didn't earn a medal, she was selected to carry the U.S. flag at the closing ceremony.

Stockwell, who now works for a prosthetics company, said she believes she's accomplished more in her life on one leg than she would have with two.

"As you go on your way," Stockwell told the crowd, "you can do anything - anything you put your mind to."

Senior Kendra Harmon, 17, National Honor Society chapter president at Grayslake North, said she hoped the students at Thursday's event would be motivated to accept challenges after hearing Stockwell speak.

"We're the next leaders of the world," said Harmon, who will major in environmental engineering at University of Florida.

Grayslake North Principal Scott Fech called Stockwell "a real-life hero" in his opening remarks. He also praised the work of the National Honor Society students.

"I didn't work as hard as you did in high school," Fech said. "I never was in the National Honor Society."