Motivational speaker talks to Boonsboro High School students about positive change

BOONSBORO — A former military infantryman who lost part of his leg in combat and now talks to people about handling adversity spoke to Boonsboro High School students recently.

Earl Granville spoke to the students in two sessions at the school on Nov. 12, the day after Veterans Day. The visit was organized by the school and American Legion Post 10 in Boonsboro.

Granville had spent two weeks in boot camp at Fort Benning with his twin brother, Joe, when the 9/11 terrorist attacks occurred. He went on to serve nine years in the Army National Guard as an infantryman, with deployments in Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan, according to his website, https://www.earlgranville.org.

During his final tour, Granville lost part of his leg due to a roadside bomb. He also lost two other colleagues.

HIs brother Joe committed suicide while on active duty in 2010.

Granville is now a motivational speaker who teaches about healthy ways to battle adversity. He introduces listeners to the tools they need to "redefine" their minds and prepare them for positive life shifts.

The local American Legion post and the school arrange talks for students revolving around Veterans Day each year, said Kermit Beard, 1st vice commander of Western Maryland Region District 7 of the American Legion.

Some of the school's teachers are veterans, Beard said.