This morning, in the main hall of the Othoca Institute, the first-year classes enjoyed a meeting they will never forget. The school's guest speaker was Daniel Zaccaro , the protagonist of a true story of decline and rebirth that kept the students on the edge of their seats throughout the event. The initiative was promoted as part of "Partecipo e Conto," the Sardinia Region's project that, for the first time, brings participatory budgeting to all secondary schools on the island. Its goal is to bring young people closer to institutions, promote active citizenship, and foster inclusion.
The school representatives strongly supported this meeting, identifying Daniel as the right voice to speak to their classmates. "We knew his story and knew he had something important to say," the representatives explain. " We didn't want a formal meeting; we wanted someone who would actually speak, who wasn't afraid to share even the most difficult parts of himself. Daniel does it, and he does it in a way that hits you in the gut. We thought it would send a powerful message to the first-year students, who are just beginning their journey here: choices matter, but no one is lost forever ."
Daniel Zaccaro's story is that of a boy growing up in Quarto Oggiaro, a suburb of Milan, in a family climate marked by tension and financial hardship. Football was his salvation, and at ten years old he wore the Inter Milan jersey. But when, during a match, he missed the decisive goal, that dream was shattered. And with it, something inside him. In middle school, he became the bully everyone feared, convinced that the only way to gain respect was to instill fear. That belief took him far, far away, to robberies, to Beccaria, Milan's juvenile prison. "Many thought I was lost," Daniel said, addressing the students directly. "I was the one beyond redemption. But then I met Don Claudio, the prison chaplain, and something began to move. It didn't happen overnight. It was a slow journey, made of small steps, of trust earned day by day in the community that welcomed me. I learned to look at things from a different perspective. I understood that the anger I carried inside was not strength, but a prison bigger than any prison ." Daniel's words filled the room with an attentive, participating silence. Many students approached at the end to speak with him in person.
Headmaster Serafino Piras emphasized the profound value of these types of meetings for young people's education. "School isn't just about teaching disciplinary content," he explained. "It's also about bringing young people together with real stories, with people who have experienced darkness and overcome it. Daniel reminds us that behind every difficult child is a story, and that story can change. We are grateful to our school representatives for promoting this initiative with such enthusiasm and sensitivity, and to the Region of Sardinia for creating, with 'Partecipo e Conto,' a space where young people can truly feel empowered ."
