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Rimersburg School Celebrates Student Who Has Never Missed A Day Of Class

RIMERSBURG (KDKA) -- It's Awards Day at Union High School in Rimersburg. Among the students is Jared Buzard, of Sligo, as expected. He has never been absent from school. Ever.

Scott Kindel was Jared's history teacher during his sophomore year, as news of the perfect attendance streak was spreading.

"It's just amazing," he says. "What a blessing to have a student like that who is so dedicated, not only to his school, but his family."

The 15-year streak began with three straight years of pre-school and kindergarten, followed by three consecutive years of elementary school. But the inspiration to continue after that began with his grandmother. Jared's parents say his grandmother encouraged him to keep on going.

"She had passed away when he was in the third grade, and he wanted to make a commitment to her to do the best that he could," says his father, Jeff Buzard. "It just so happened he was able to accomplish 15 years of perfect attendance."

Jared's mother, Cheryl, concurs.

"A couple of times he would say, 'Mom, I just want to stay home.' And I'd say, 'Jared, do it for Grandma,'" she said.

"I'd never get sick, for some reason, during the school week, or just any time when I'd have something important with the school to do, I would never be sick," Jared recalls. "It would always come Friday night, any time throughout the weekend, or it would be during the summer when I'd get the worst stuff."

Will he continue his streak at the next level?

"I don't think so, throughout college."

One piece of advice, Jared: If your job has vacation days, take them.

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