Calm, cool and collected, Riley Banvard stepped up to the stage and delivered a poignant two-minute talk at his sixth-grade graduation on June 11. With his 34 fellow classmates, faculty members and staff by his side, and his parents and sister admiring from their seats, Riley shared what he learned as a student at Echo Horizon School in Culver City.
He spoke about the six pillars of character (caring, citizenship, fairness, respect, responsibility and trustworthiness) and how it helped shape the person he is today. But the best was yet to come.
Riley ended his talk by thanking his parents — Navy and Rachael Banvard — for driving him to and from Malibu every day for the past eight years to attend Echo Horizon. It was a moment that his mother, Rachael, will never forget.
Born with a severe loss of hearing that affected not only his ability to hear clearly, but also his ability to annunciate words distinctly, Riley has overcome his minor disabilities with flying colors. Listening to her son speak with confidence and purpose brought much pride and joy to Rachael.
“It was so sweet. We are so proud of him,” Rachael said. “Just thinking of him on the stage sharing what he said brings a lot of emotions.”
Interviewing Riley prior to this story reinforced what many already knew. Jennifer Mascolo, Riley’s teacher who works with the deaf and hard of hearing, has seen Riley blossom from a young boy into a mature teenager.
“Riley is an all-around great kid and was an absolute pleasure to work with. He is conscientious, hard-working and self-motivated,” Mascolo said. “He never let his hearing loss get in his way. Riley is an excellent advocate for himself, always taking responsibility to get what he needs and be the best he can be. In addition, his kindness and good nature make him a joy to be around and a positive role model for others.”
Riley, 13, is an inspiration to others, and serves as a prime example of never giving up and living every day to the fullest. Graduating from Echo Horizon was a highlight for Riley, as well as delivering a meaningful talk that exuded and burst with confidence.
“It was very exciting because I had been going there for eight years and it felt great to finally move on after all that I have accomplished, like my speaking, my hearing and making a lot of friends,” Riley, who now attends Oaks Christian in Westlake Village, said. “Those six points have really helped me improve with my life in general. It just felt great to talk about them.”
An avid baseball fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Riley spent this past spring playing Malibu Pony baseball after two years of participating in Malibu Little League (MLL). Prior to MLL, he had never played baseball in his life.
Playing under the leadership of MLL coaches Steve Prudholme, Mario Miranda, Royce Clayton and Pete Cannon, Riley developed as a player and learned some valuable life lessons in respect to school and sports.
“They come hand-in-hand. At school, you have to have commitment to your work, and you can take that to baseball and improve upon your hitting or fielding,” Riley said. “I learned how to become a better team player and open up a lot to other kids around me.”
“Riley never let his handicap or his lack of experience be a detour from his love of baseball and being a part of the team. Not only did he want to play and be on the team, but he wanted to contribute to the team’s success,” Prudholme said. “Riley worked hard every single practice and game to accomplish that. Always one of the first to arrive at practice, he was often early, and, if he had to miss a practice for school or an appointment, he would not be happy. His hard work and determination was infectious and he became a team favorite amongst his teammates.”
Riley, known as ‘RBV’ to his teammates, improved so much through hard work at practice and in the batting cages that he hit .511 for the Braves, who won the 2014 MLL AAA championship.
“Riley developed and grew so much as a baseball player from year one to year two,” Prudholme said. “Hopefully kids — and grown-ups for that matter — will view Riley and see with hard work and determination, you can overcome any obstacles if you really want it. I know RBV taught me a thing or two. I love the kid.”
Perseverance. Resilient. Committed. Responsible. Positive attitude. Those are only a handful of words that describe Riley and his devotion to the six pillars of character. Whether it is in the classroom or on the field, this young man has everything to gain and nothing to lose.
“I have definitely learned to be more confident in myself,” Riley said. “I have also learned to be a better person.”