In May, students at Rowe Elementary welcomed a very special guest with deep roots in their own neighborhood: Remijo Wani, a 2nd Team All-American basketball player from St. Joseph’s College in Standish. He returned to his childhood stomping grounds to speak with students in third- through fifth-grade—bringing with him a powerful message of perseverance, gratitude and community pride.

Wani grew up just around the corner from where Rowe now stands. He attended Hall Elementary School, which is Rowe’s predecessor. Rowe is a new school that opened in 2018 on the same site as Hall, an aging school that was torn down after a fire. Wani fondly recalls hours spent playing basketball and running around the field behind the famous Hall oak tree. 

After Hall, Wani’s journey took him to Lincoln Middle School and then to both Deering and Portland High School, where he eventually helped lead the Portland Bulldogs to a state basketball championship in his senior year. Now a scholarship recipient and standout at St. Joe’s, Wani balances academic success with athletic achievement—always remembering the support that got him to where he is now. “I’m just really grateful,” said Wani, “For my mom, my family, my teachers, my coaches and everyone who helped me, not just on the court, but in school too.”

During his visit, Wani spoke with the students, emphasizing the importance of hard work and persistence, not only in sports but in academics as well. “Whether it’s basketball, math or reading,” he told students, “you’ve got to push through when things get hard.” He reminded students that learning to fail is part of success and that challenges are what make accomplishments meaningful. To the delight of the fifth graders, Wani joked that after many years of trying, he finally mastered spinning a basketball on his finger which was a long-time personal goal. He then stepped onto the court to play a little one-on-one with a few lucky students, dazzling the crowd with quick footwork and a couple of crowd-pleasing dunks. “He’s so fast!” one student exclaimed.

Rene Custeau, physical education teacher at Rowe, said that one fifth-grader summed up the visit perfectly: “It made me think that even if things get hard in school or sports, you can still do great things if you keep going. I want to try harder now.”

“Humble and heartfelt, Remijo’s visit left a lasting impact on the Rowe community, reminding students that big dreams can start right down the street and that with effort, support and heart anything is possible,” Custeau said.

Photos: Top: Remijo Wani speaking to students at Rowe Elementary School in May

Below: Remijo Wani as a fifth-grade student, with his teacher at Hall Elementary School