Frank Valadez
Age: 17 GPA: 2.9 College: West Valley
– Mission Community College
The first thing one notices about Frank Valadez is his smile.
It’s bright and big and it never disappears.
And for as long as he can remember, Gilroy High School has been
a part of his life. Valadez’ mother works in the administrative
offices and he’s a face most on campus know.
The first thing one notices about Frank Valadez is his smile. It’s bright and big and it never disappears.
And for as long as he can remember, Gilroy High School has been a part of his life. Valadez’ mother works in the administrative offices and he’s a face most on campus know.
The reason? “I like helping people. I’m friendly,” he said.
Valadez was a member of both the GHS basketball and track teams all four years and had a brief stint on the cross–country team this year. Athletics dominates how Valadez has viewed his high school career and credits his coaches for it.
“They taught me a lot,” he said. “Not just about school – but in life.”
This year, Valadez was moved to the junior varsity basketball team from varsity. But he never gave up.
Valadez, who stands 5’9″, started the last 5 games of the season.
This past track season, he just missed qualifying for the Central Coast Championships in the high jump. His height of 6’2″ would have qualified him the year before.
“It’s intimidating when you jump and are approaching the bar that is 3″ taller than you,” he said.
His perseverance on the field is reflective of his attitude in the classroom.
“I try as hard as I can,” he said. “I strive for straight A’s, but that doesn’t always happen.”
But he doesn’t let it bother him if it doesn’t.
“Don’t look back too much at things in the past – look forward,” Valadez explained.
Next year he will attend West Valley–Mission Community College.
Ultimately, Valadez wants to become a firefighter.
