Name: Julia A. Wickard
How are you connected to Eastern Hancock? I am a Class of 1989 Eastern Hancock graduate, where I served as the Class President, and President of the Eastern Hancock FFA. I currently serve on the Eastern Hancock Education Foundation and have served in the Eastern Hancock FFA Alumni organization. I married my high school sweetheart, Chris, and we live on our homesteaded family farm in eastern Hancock County and have two beautiful kids -- Jordyn (17) and Jacob (14) who also attend Eastern Hancock.
What is your greatest EH experience? My greatest experience at Eastern Hancock is watching our two children to blossom into young adults at our alma mater, Eastern Hancock!
If you have/had children who attend EH, how has that benefited their lives? Eastern Hancock is a community. It is a sense of place where families from all walks of life come together to serve one another, comfort one another, care for one another, and to love one another. The small class sizes allow our kids to get to know classmates in their grades, but also throughout the school system. My husband and I feel blessed to live in this community, and do our best to give back to the school corporation, which has given so much to both of us. I also want to salute the Eastern Hancock FFA organization for instilling leadership development and career success into the minds, hearts and souls of our kids. The skills being learned and acquired through FFA and the vocational agricultural program are preparing our kids, and countless others, to be responsible, accountable and reliable adults.
What makes you have #EHRoyalPride? As a mother of two active young adults, I have #EHRoyalPride when I talk to other residents in the county or attend events throughout the community and hear stories about Eastern Hancock students who are polite and respectful. I believe the small-town-feel and rural footprint of EH allows morals and ethics to be instilled into our young people, in all circumstances: academics, athletics, FFA and other extracurricular activities. I wholeheartedly believe the the #EHRoyalPride demeanor will follow our students through their adult lives.
What else would you like to share about yourself or our EH community? I love Eastern Hancock. It is a place where we celebrate success together, and also embrace one another in the unthinkable times of sorrow. It is home; when I graduated high school and attended Purdue University, I always felt like I was 'home' when returning to the football or basketball games and seeing the teachers and fellow students whom I left behind. Now that our children are Eastern Hancock Royals, I am hopeful that when they return 'home' to Eastern Hancock as a graduate someday, they also will feel like they never left.