Graduate Achievement Highlight
Last Friday, a very ordinary thing happened. Two VCHS graduates, Daniel (’17) and Alaina (’18) Hardy, came by at the end of the day to visit and reconnect with teachers.
Before the pandemic, it was common for graduates to come to school and update us on how they are doing in college, or in their career field, or how their life is shaping up. We certainly see, and expect, most recent graduates to return but we often see students who have been “gone” from VCHS for five, ten, even fifteen years. I taught and coached both Daniel and Alaina and have fond memories of both. I am sorry that I missed their visit because I was at an in-service.
On Saturday, something very extraordinary happened. The Los Angeles Rams selected Daniel in the 7th round of the NFL draft. I don’t think I need to write about how incredible this is.
One thing I will mention that makes it even more extraordinary is that Daniel only played one complete season of high school football – his senior year. There are not many one-year high school players that get drafted into the NFL.
I have written before about how we try to foster the gifts and talents of your children so they can become the men and women God is calling them to be. They excel and are honored in the many different paths they take. They are wonderful and successful parents, teachers, engineers, health care workers, public servants, scientists and researchers, vowed religious, musicians, accountants, and so much more.
While I am unable to recognize personally all of our graduates at each amazing stage of their lives, I wanted to give a simple acknowledgement to Daniel for his extraordinary achievement.
Congratulations to Daniel, his family, and all those graduates who are becoming the men and women God is calling them to be.
Valiantly,
Doug Ierardi, Principal