The inspiring story of Rick and Dick Hoyt, the father-and-son team who compete together in marathons and triathlons across the country, has been told on countless television shows, newspaper articles and social media sites. But students at Collicot Elementary School in Milton got a first-hand account from these two men, who visited the school last week.

Dick Hoyt, 73, and his son, Rick, 52, spoke to Collicot students to spread their message of “Yes, You Can!”  Rick, who was born with cerebral palsy, has been pushed by his father, Dick, in over 1000 races, including 31 Boston Marathons.

Rick spoke to the students via a computer-generated voice, which he controls with a modified laptop. He talked about the start of his running partnership with his father, attending college and beginning to train for triathlons, all the while encouraging students not to stereotype people with disabilities.

The event was sponsored by the Collicot PTO and the Collicot Diversity Committee. The Hoyts were invited as part of the school’s “One Book, One School,” initiative. This curriculum-based program connects literacy with themes of diversity. This year’s book is Rick’s Story: The Story of Rick Hoyt written by Sherrie Ninteau and illustrated by Tim Williams.

Collicot Principal Janet Sheehan explained how the book will be integrated into the curriculum.

“Every child in the school has been given a copy of Rick’s Story, which were purchased by the PTO,” she said. “We are currently undergoing a “reading marathon,” but instead of running 26 miles, the students will be reading for 26 days.”

The marathon will conclude with an “Adventure Night” event on March 27, where students will display their projects related to the book and there will be interactive exhibits created by families.