[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 206 (Tuesday, November 30, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1287-E1288]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING DR. DAVID VIERRA FOR HIS SERVICE TO THE ANTELOPE VALLEY UNION 
                          HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. KEVIN McCARTHY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 30, 2021

  Mr. McCARTHY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. David Vierra 
for 40 years of service in public education and the lasting 
contributions he has made to the Antelope Valley, his lifelong home. In 
August of this year, David retired from his position as Antelope Valley 
Union High School District Superintendent after serving for nearly two 
decades in that role.
  Upon graduating from Antelope Valley High School in Lancaster, 
California, one of the very schools that he would later serve as 
District Superintendent, David earned his bachelor's degree from 
California State University, Northridge, and subsequently began his 
career in education in 1981 as a teacher in the Lancaster Elementary 
School District. Soon after, he took his talents abroad, serving in the 
U.S. Department of Defense as an instructor at Kaiserslautern American 
High School in Germany, where he also coached football and basketball.
  In 1998, David became the Assistant Superintendent of Personnel 
Services at the Antelope Valley Union High School District and just 
four years later--a true testament to his inherent leadership skills--
David was tapped to lead the school district as Superintendent. Under 
David's direction, the Antelope Valley Union High School District has 
transformed into a vastly successful school system that prepares 
students for the 21st century and has even been internationally 
recognized. In 2018, Antelope Valley Union High School District 
received a special, six-year districtwide accreditation from the 
Accreditation Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools 
and Colleges (WASC), a world-renowned accrediting association in the 
United States that works closely with the Office of Overseas Schools 
under the Department of State. The Antelope Valley Union High School

[[Page E1288]]

District is the first school district in the continental United States 
to receive district-wide WASC accreditation.
  Over the past few decades, Antelope Valley students have received 
full-ride scholarships to prestigious universities and have been 
awarded national recognitions for their successes. David also worked to 
establish Students on Academic Rise (SOAR), an early college high 
school program that prepares students, many of which come from 
disadvantaged backgrounds, seeking alternative career paths to 
successfully enter the workforce.
  David's passion for education reflects his own academic journey, as 
he earned a master's degree from Azusa Pacific University and a PhD in 
education philosophy from Claremont Graduate University, all while 
balancing his leadership obligations and commitment to helping students 
pursue their interests in and outside of the classroom. David is also 
well-known in the Antelope Valley community as being exceptionally 
generous with his time and talent, dedicating countless hours to local 
civic, athletic, and educational organizations. David has served the 
Antelope Valley Hospital Foundation as a Director, the University of 
Antelope Valley as Chairman of the Board, and the Antelope Valley Board 
of Trade as a Board Member on its Education Committee. This past 
summer, David received the key to the City of Lancaster, a well-
deserved honor.
  Known for his personal approach to education and leadership, David 
spent his time as Superintendent building relationships with students, 
parents, and teachers. The President of the Antelope Valley Union High 
School District's Board of Education noted that this special quality, 
along with David's integrity and ``unwavering commitment to solving the 
near impossible''--especially during the coronavirus pandemic--helped 
him lead the Antelope Valley Union High School District ``through the 
unthinkable.'' On behalf of the 23rd Congressional District of 
California, I wish David, his wife, and three children all the best as 
they enter this exciting new chapter of life.

                          ____________________