BOSTON'S OWN GUITAR HERO
+ BY ALEXA WEBB ++ September 26th, 2008

Video gaming has a new hero: Sam Forrester. Sam is a sixteen year old student at Lexington High School who recently began homeschooling, a choice made so he could spend more time perfecting his gaming skills. "Video games seem really important to Sam, and I think any time your child is excited about something, you have to encourage that," says Linda Forrester, Sam's mother.

Video games have come a long way since the days of Atari and Pacman. In today's world, it's possible to make your living playing video games through professional competitions and corporate sponsorships, which is exactly what Sam intends to do. Spending anywhere from ten to sixteen hours a day playing, he exhibits a calm focus that is rare in any teenager. Sam spends most of those hours playing Guitar Hero, a game popular for its incorporation of famous pop and rock songs. His parents report he wants to begin competing professionally by the beginning of next year.

With teenagers like Blake Peebles being encouraged to follow their video game dreams, more parents are sitting up and paying attention. "I think Sam's really talented, and I think if other kids can make it, there's no reason my son can't, too," says Sam's father George Forrester. Both parents spend much of their time working, but they say this doesn't mean Sam won't get the attention he deserves. In fact, in light of the recent Lexington School shootings, Sam's parents find they can rest easier knowing their son is safe at home.

"It's a dangerous world out there for children today, and I'm more comfortable knowing that Sam is an environment where he can be inspired doing something he loves," says Linda. Many Lexington parents are worried since the shooting last month, and the Forresters are not the first to take their children out of school. "We're just grateful Sam wasn't at school that day. We left for work in the morning and he was still in bed, saying he felt sick. Thank god for the common cold!"

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