Kyzir White, a 2014 graduate of Emmaus High School, has been in the National Football League for the last five seasons after being drafted in 2018 by the Los Angeles Chargers. This past season was his first with the Philadelphia Eagles and he helped the local team reach last weekend’s Super Bowl.

White always had aspirations to play professional football. His former EHS teachers and mentors knew he had the talent to make it and he was a special person while he was a student there.

“I really enjoyed having Kyzir as a student in my English class,” said Stu Speicher, one of White’s former teachers. “I often use sports as a way to better connect with my students, so I have great memories of spending Monday mornings talking with Kyzir about the NFL games that had been played the day before.

“It’s surreal now seeing him as an integral part of these NFL games. Like so many of us at Emmaus, I’m extremely proud of Kyzir and am so excited to see him on the field in the Super Bowl.”

White’s mentor and social studies teacher, Brian Pum, also spoke highly of White.

“Kyzir was always a very respectful, driven, leader of a classroom,” said Pum. “He always had a goal of going to a Division I school with the dream of playing in the NFL, so his dedication in class to accomplish that matched his goals. Other students looked up to him and how he acted, which makes your life as a teacher easier when the student is someone like Kyzir.”

Both Speicher and Pum knew White would do great things early on.

“I know how hard Kyzir worked at Emmaus, Lackawanna College and West Virginia University to reach the highest level of his sport, but it’s so rare to see a young athlete’s biggest dreams come true,” Speicher said. “It’s an amazing story and I hope he continues to be rewarded for all of this hard work with a Super Bowl championship ring.”

“It’s been surreal,” Pum said. “I followed him and his brothers’ careers at WVU. I would watch every game I could while they were there; then when Kyzir got drafted, I couldn’t have been more excited for him. I remember my phone going nuts when the Eagles signed him this year.

“I love that he plays for my favorite team and that my kids get excited when they see him on television. To have a student who now plays for your favorite team is not something you ever think will be a reality, but it is. I couldn’t be happier for him and the Eagles.”

Speicher shared some of his favorite memories with White in his classroom.

“My favorite memories with Kyzir in the classroom involve our trash talk when my alma mater, University of Maryland, played against Kyzir’s brother Kevin and West Virginia University,” said Speicher. “A few years later, I had the opportunity to see Kyzir play in-person for WVU and sing a little Take Me Home, Country Roads after the Mountaineers’ victory.”

White always wanted to make it professionally on the gridiron, but there was one other sport he had interest in when he was younger.

“He is a big boxing fan,” said Pum. “I don’t think he ever had any aspirations to box though. He always wanted to make it to the NFL, he was very driven. We would joke as a class that we would see him on Sundays. He would just smile and nod, never gloated. He is truly living his dream and I couldn’t be prouder of him.”