Meet Andrew McInally, Director, IT Enterprise Collaborative Tools & Technologies at ETS (Educational Testing Service), repeat HiTOPS Princeton Half participant, and this year’s leader of the ETS Virtual Team.
“I run because I need to. There is an artist (the Oatmeal) who captures my reasons and feelings quite well. I need to run to keep off The Blerch. I don’t always want to run but, I am happy to do what I can to support HiTOPS, and in turn, the people they support.
We moved from Australia in 2018 and my son had the opportunity to “start over” at 14 years old. During what is probably the scariest time in a young person’s life, he was struggling with a lot. Not only did he leave his friends and family in Australia, he also grappled with the person he truly is. I am very fortunate to work with Franco, an amazing person to whom I owe a great debt. Through Franco, we were introduced to the First and Third groups; bi-weekly meetings for teenagers specifically geared towards adolescents that need a safe space to explore what (scary) words like identity, gender, and sexuality mean to them. With the support of that group and Franco, my son was able to navigate a daunting time in his life. I am happy to say he has grown from a somewhat quiet young person into a strong young man able to and proud to stand up for himself and who he is. I am a very proud father; and a grateful supporter of what HiTOPS does and can do for any young person who asks.”
We thank Andrew for sharing his story and inspiring the entire ETS team to Go The Distance For ALL Youth. We are proud of the work we do to create safe, affirming spaces for young people throughout the Greater Mercer area.
You can support Andrew, the ETS Team, and join the all-virtual race at HiTOPSPrincetonHalf.com