Lakeside High School: Peyton Pergl’s efforts in school a “shining example of resiliency’ after rough early childhood

From housing insecurity and lack of supervision to stability and a stellar GPA, Peyton Pergl exemplifies how far a kid can go if he has someone who believes in him.

“Up to the age of 6, Peyton and his brother lived with their mother, who unfortunately was addicted to drugs,” said Patty Dallabetta, college and career counselor at Lakeside High School. “The family often found themselves without food and sometimes even shelter, and Peyton was exposed to a great deal of chaos and trauma.”

Pergl acknowledges the rough start he got in life.

“I’ve seen things that a 4- or 5-year-old shouldn’t have ever seen.”

His life improved dramatically when his grandparents filed for legal custody, but initially, he found the transition difficult.

“I’d had no rules. No structure. I was allowed to do whatever I wanted,” he said.

It took some time, but Pergl gradually began to understand what it meant to live within a caring family unit.

“My grandpa pushed my work ethic,” he said. “He shaped me into what I am today.”

And what is that?

“Peyton is a hardworking and motivated young man who has achieved academic success at Lakeside,” Dallabetta said. “He has an almost-perfect GPA of 3.99.”

For Pergl, the light switched on for him in middle school.

“I discovered I was good at academics,” he recalled. “I started getting As and that fueled my desire to work hard and keep getting them.”

Head football coach Devin Bauer witnessed Pergl’s hard work on the football field and off.

“When he was a freshman, I saw him in the library studying after school. I asked him if he needed a ride and he said, ‘Nope. Just putting in some extra work.’”

Pergl had already fallen in love with football and he credits his involvement with the sport for helping him succeed in the classroom, too.

“The structure really helped,” he said. “It made me use my time wisely.”

Bauer said Pergl started on the varsity team as a sophomore.

“He’s a defensive back. He started when we were 1-8. His junior and senior year, we’ve gone 6-2, and we’re the league champs,” said Bauer. “Peyton leads by example, and he worked with our younger players.”

Pergl calls it “the brotherhood of football.”

“We became closer as we had the winning seasons,” he said.

When he’s not studying or on the football field, the teen delights in life in Nine Mile Falls.

“It’s a close-knit community,” he said. “I love being on the water, boating and jet-skiing. Or riding my dirt bike and hanging out with friends.”

His academic efforts paid off. Pergl has received a scholarship to Gonzaga University, where he plans to enroll in the nursing program.

“I knew I wanted to help others,” he said. “I care about people. I’d like to become a nurse anesthetist.”

That doesn’t surprise his coach.

“Peyton is everywhere he needs to be, on the field and in life,” Bauer said. “He’s dependable and compassionate.”

Dallabetta agreed.

“Peyton is a kind and respectful young man and a shining example of resiliency,” she said.

Peyton Pergl is profoundly grateful that his grandparents stepped in to care for him.

“I feel very fortunate,” he said. “I’ve chosen not to dwell on the bad. I look on the brighter side of things and keep moving forward.”