Sophomore Connor Kelly is that bright smiling face on the field pumping up the crowd while also managing the football team. But many people might not know all of the work Kelly puts into the “R-word Campaign: Spread the Word to End the Word” in the Poudre School District.

On Oct. 16 Kelly was given the Dorothy Lasley Memorial Award, an award given to a person with a disability who “is an active voice in the community, championing for the rights of all people with disabilities.” The Dorothy Lasley Memorial Award is a part of the Mayor’s Awards in Fort Collins that began in 1982. Kelly said, “It felt really great [to be given the award]… It was good to know that I was recognized in the city of Fort Collins.”

Kelly was born with Sotos syndrome, “a physical disability that causes my hands and feet to be larger and causes me to have scoliosis.” 

 Kelly led the “R-word Campaign” with Greg Sheets, junior Keenan O’Reilly, and his parents Doug and Jennifer Kelly. “I could not have done it without my parents or a bunch of my friends who helped me through the campaign.” Kelly said. He plans on continuing the work through the campaign with “a junior versus senior football game” and “another campaign at Fossil.”

“Fossil is probably the most accepting school in the Poudre School District,” Kelly said.