For my next Citizen Spotlight, I would like to recognize a special young lady from Washington Community High School. Senior Diya Iyer recently experienced a moment to remember for a lifetime, as the Panthers’ girls basketball team celebrated Senior Night against Morton.
Late in the fourth quarter with Washington comfortably in front on the scoreboard, Diya was sent into the game as the packed stands roared and the bench cheered. And as WEEK TV 25 Sports Director Jim Mattson captured in his Instagram video, Diya nearly brought the house down by sinking a 3-point shot.
“This is a cool spotlight story,” Rep. Weaver stated. “Diya is a bench player who got in for Senior Night and hit a 3, and the crowd went wild! She was named the Jim Mattson ‘Jim Dandy’ winner and interviewed on the court after the game. I met Diya several years ago at an Indian cultural event, and she’s an awesome kid.”
Washington Community High School Principal Karen Stevens added some perspective on the Senior Night moment, stating, “Diya was still sitting on the bench in the fourth quarter, and our student section began chanting ‘We want Diya’ with two minutes left. Up until that point, the score had been too close for Coach Barth to take out the starters. When Diya entered the game, our student section, as well as the community members, roared with approval. Diya touches everyone she meets. She is the most positive, outgoing, exceptional young lady I have met in a very long time.”
In addition to being a multi-sport athlete, Diya has demonstrated strong leadership skills throughout her career at WCHS. Last summer, she attended the NFHS National Student Leadership Summit in Indianapolis. She was one of only four high school athletes from Illinois to attend this conference.
Diya, it is amazing to see how your leadership and presence continue to impact your teammates, coaches, and everyone at Washington High School! Good luck to you in all of your future endeavors!
Here is the incredible video and interview from Jim Mattson: Instagram