Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - Never a missed day of school

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Thursday, May 24, 2001
Never a missed day of school
West Oso senior Armando Valdez accepted his father's challenge
By Paula Caballero
Caller-Times

George Tuley/Caller-Times

Armando Valdez, 17, received a plaque noting his perfect attendance at an awards assembly at West Oso High School.


   West Oso senior Armando Valdez, 17, accepted his father's challenge for perfection when he was 5 years old.
   He never imagined he would accomplish it. Nor did he realize it would be so difficult to reach.
   Armando is the only student at West Oso High School to graduate with 13 years perfect attendance. Graduates with perfect attendance

John Alonzo

Larry Elizondo Jr.

D.J. Ybarra

   He has not missed a day from kindergarten through his senior year of high school. His father, Dicky Valdez, a teacher at West Oso High School, had perfect attendance from eighth through 12th grade, and dared Armando to best his attendance record.
   "He did it. He kept going and going," Armando's father said. "He worked hard at it."
   West Oso assistant principal David Lynn described Armando's perfect attendance as an outstanding achievement.
   "We are very proud of Armando and wish all students would equal his accomplishment," Lynn said.
   Armando, who received a plaque noting his perfect attendance at an awards assembly on May 11, doesn't pretend it was easy or fun. He tends to remember the days he went to school sick. Those days were the hardest, he said.
   "I had to go to school no matter what," Armando said. "I remember a few times when I was throwing up in the morning and had headaches and he still made me go to school. He said I'd get better."
   One day after school in first grade, Armando was hit on the head with a brick at a neighbor's house. He went to the emergency room for stitches.
   "And the next day, I was at school," Armando said.
   Valdez doesn't remember these events as particularly dire. He said he would never have sent his son to school if he thought he was too sick.
   Valdez said as Armando got older, he became more interested in reaching the perfect-attendance goal.
   "Even last year, he had the flu big time, and he still went to basketball practice at 6:30 in the morning," Valdez said. "The coach sat him out, but at least he was there. That was his decision. When he was a kid, it was me, talking to him, encouraging him. But when he got to seventh grade, it became his deal."
   Armando said he became more interested in reaching his goal when his father sweetened the deal by offering him a new car if he kept his perfect attendance. Armando said he won't need a car for some time because he plans to join the Navy to help pay for college. However, he would like a Ford Expedition when he gets out.
   "Man, I don't know about that," Valdez said. "I guess I've got four years to work on that one."


Contact Paula Caballero at 886-3758 or caballerop@caller.com

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