Quiet Giants ...
Pat Vickroy - Kindness , Exemplified
By Kimberly Ewertz
Physical education ( PE ) teacher Pat Vickroy ’ s favorite quote by J . Stone , ‘ Each one of us who travels further than the obstacles , will know a different kind of life from that time on ...,’ has been a source of inspiration for Vickroy and has kept him continually moving forward in pursuit of his goals .
Vickroy ’ s involvement in sports both in high school and college was equally important and instilled in him a passion for camaraderie and teamwork . “ That was something that I wanted to project and to share with others ,” he said . His position as PE teacher for Gilroy Unified School District ,
( GUSD ), provided him the perfect venue to do just that . It began in 1983 when the school district proposed instituting an elementary PE program and Vickroy was chosen to head up the project . “ They gave me an open book on starting the program ,” Vickroy said . “ It felt great , it felt like taking a leadership role .”
Vickroy ’ s agenda emphasized the importance of trust . “ I think trust is probably one of the most powerful words in our whole vocabulary ,” Vickroy said . His belief in the positive impact role models can make inspired him to offer activities and challenges to his students , while continually making every
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