Community Corner

They Call That Kid a Whiz

Oak Middle Schooler Eric Ledesma recently medaled in the Race on the Base 10k race.

Name: Eric Ledesma

Age: 11

School: Oak Middle School

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Hobbies: Computer Games, Archery and Paintball.  I play FSX (Flight Simulator X) online with one of my friends from school. You fly from LAX to San Francisco.

I also play Call of Duty because I like the story back line (WWII). I am kind of an old-time guy. I kind of like the 1940s – I like the music, the cars, how they dressed. I am a very big history guy.

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Now paintball, the paintballs hurt as heck, and my mom should know because - she got shot in the rear by my cousin. I like it because there is strategy to it…and, yeah, I have been shot in the head by my cousin (cousin was on the same team).

Sport: I like archery because it gives you a lot of strength and you have to learn to focus. You also use math to estimate how far you have to shoot. Pretty much I learned archery at an outdoor science camp in sixth-grade. Then in my school, I had an archery unit, and I developed more strength and a love for it.

Favorite Subject: Music. I play the trumpet. It has a nice good tone, and, for me, it’s easy to play. I have to practice every day through the week. That includes private lessons. You have to take time and effort to it, which I am willing to do.

Favorite Book: The Percy Jackson series

Favorite Movie: Saving Private Ryan

Favorite Song: 100 Years by Five for Fight

Greatest Challenge: The 10K Race on the Base (in which Eric won a bronze medal in the wheelchair division. Eric has spastic diplegia cerebral palsy, which affects the muscles in his leg). I’ve been wanting to set goals for myself like that, and I finally have done it. I looked at the track and thought, ‘that is easy,’ but I guessed wrong. The wind was going against me. It made me a little angry and frustrated. I was going 5 miles per hour and everyone else was going 10, and they were passing me.

 I had so much adrenaline going I couldn’t feel anything.

What are you best at? Computer games and playing the trumpet

What do you feel you need to work at? Archery

What do you want to be when you grow up? A United States Marine or a Pilot for the Marine Corps

Is there anything that most of your friends and family don’t know about you? When I am in pain, I don’t tell people about it. When my knees hurt, I just keep it to myself. I just let it pass. I just let it go and keep doing what I am doing.


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