I am a teacher at Thatcher High School. I am also the Spirit Line coach. Last year, Kade volunteered to be the Eagle. No one asked him to, he just really wanted to do it, and MAN did he take it to the next level! For every home game, there was a theme and he always made sure the eagle was on trend with the theme. From a mullet for redneck night to an eye patch for pirates of the Carribean. He even had it decked out with a coconut shell bra and grass skirt once. The girls on my team absolutely ADORED him! They begged me to take him with us to all of the away games we went to, and I had no problem complying. One time we were in a hurry to get to an out of town game (I believe it was in Phoenix) and we made it to Glenbar before I suddenly realized, KADE! We forgot KADE!! He hadn’t made it to the school by the time we left and I totally spaced it! I immediately called him and turned around. He and his mom met us in Pima. He wasn’t upset or anything, he was just waiting there with his big grin and laughed so hard at me! On the way home from the game, it ended up being he and one or two other cheerleaders who didn’t ride home with parents. It was super late and I was not looking forward to the quiet ride home (usually everyone falls asleep). Boy was I in for a treat, Kade entertained us the WHOLE way home, and I am serious when I say the WHOLE ride! I have never met a teenage boy who was so relatable and easy to talk to.
The thing about Kade, and I’m sure I am far from the only person to write this, is that he was literally friends with EVERYONE. He was not afraid to be himself and people LOVED him for this! He was just as good of friends with the teachers as he was with the students. To say he will be missed at THS just doesn’t do him justice. He was everything that Thatcher HIgh School should stand for. He was the student every teacher loved having and the rest wished they had. He made every moment count.
-Ashlee Griffin