One look at the smiles on their faces says it all. Walker Little ’17, now playing professional football for the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Jaylen Waddle ’18, now playing for the Denver Broncos, were surprised this past Sunday by two of their former coaches and EHS faculty members, Steve Leisz and John Drexel ’10.

Former EHS teammates Little and Waddle found themselves on opposite sidelines Sunday, with the Broncos winning 20–13. Before the game, Coaches Leisz and Drexel surprised them on the field wearing composite jerseys representing both of their former players.

Much can be said about the remarkable athletic careers of Little and Waddle, but their smiles tell a deeper story about EHS: the transformative relationships formed here endure long after graduation. They are professional athletes now, and their accomplishments are certainly worth celebrating. But when their old coaches show up to surprise them, for a moment we see again the boys we have always known and loved. Long after their playing days have passed, those relationships will endure. That was at the heart of their EHS experience then, and it remains at the heart of who we are today.