Dave Scarangella Column: "Because Now ... It's Personal For You Too"

(May 4, 2012) - All day long today, there have been comments on Twitter, stories on blogs, even conversations on radio programs like WJFK’s Mike Wise Show about depression and suicide. All were talking in the context of former San Diego Charger Junior Seau, who passed away yesterday.

People talked about how depression can affect you, the grief of the people left behind, and the disbelief of those who saw no signs of anything wrong with Seau.

Which brings us to the elephant in the room here in Loudoun County.

If you’ve ever read DullesDistrict.com, you’re aware Paul Draisey and I were very good friends. Two weeks ago was his funeral after he took his own life the previous Monday.

Dave Scarangella Column: Classic Ashburn - Where "Seize the Day" Takes on a Whole New Meaning

VivaLoudoun is proud to introduce a new columnist for the site -- Dave Scarangella of DullesDistrict.com!

(Nov. 17, 2011) - It was classic Ashburn.

I’m speaking of Wednesday night at Stone Bridge, where I had the honor of attending a ceremony in which about 100 students were inducted into the National Honor Society, including my daughter. It was filled with mothers and fathers beaming with pride, each of us carrying enough camera equipment to produce a major motion picture, quietly reinforced with the knowledge that this ceremony had to validate our belief we all must be pretty awesome parents.

If you don’t live here, you may not understand. We are an area filled with families with lots of kids, a little bit more wealth than the national average, and a strong feeling of self-importance. We suck down Starbucks by the gallon, complain about how much maintenance costs are at luxury automobile dealerships, and worry that if our kids aren’t involved in a dozen after-school activities, we’ve harmed them irreparably in their pursuit of a college education.

Dave Scarangella Column: It Took High School Coaches, Teachers, Administrators to Finally Stop Unspeakable

VivaLoudoun is proud to introduce a new columnist for the site -- Dave Scarangella of DullesDistrict.com!

(Nov. 8, 2010) - If you have been following the incredibly disgusting events at Penn State these days, you’re aware that Saturday a 23-page grand jury report was released documenting unspeakable actions allegedly committed by former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky. The report is so graphic, I won’t even link it here. Google it if you’d like, but I warn you it will make you sick reading it.

The mainstream media has done a good job following up on it (Mike Wise had this excellent piece on it in Sunday’s Washington Post), but there is one point in all this that has gone largely unnoticed: Apparently with the information known by many highly ranked Penn State officials, including the school president, athletic director and even legendary football coach Joe Paterno, the people who actually stood up and got the authorities on the situation were high school officials.

Yup, high school football coaches, teachers and administrators. They were the ones who didn’t worry about image, national attention, football legacies, etc. They worried about one thing: the kids.