WCHS Alumnus Finds Career Pathways in Service

On July 9, 2026, Evan Valdez was officially sworn in as one of the newest members of the Surprise Police Department.  A Willow Canyon High School graduate, this would be the second uniform Valdez has worn in pursuit of service to others.      

He entered Willow Canyon High School as a Freshman in 2015, after recently moving from California.  Football would be the way that he connected most with the school and made friends.  He played football all four years and was also on the cheer and track teams in his senior year.    

The people who stand out the most from Valdez’s time at Willow Canyon High School were his teachers and coaches who instilled work ethic and motivation.   

After graduating high school in 2019, Valdez enlisted in the U.S. Navy and shipped off to boot camp at the age of 17.  Service ran in his family.  His grandfather and great grandfather were both in the Navy, and his grandfather on his Dad's side of the family served in the Army.    

“I knew I wanted to serve a cause greater than myself and have a uniform that actually I can wake up and put on and be proud of,” Valdez said.  “So I joined the military for that. I joined the Navy specifically because I originally wanted to go special forces, but then the job I got into, I ended up liking it a lot more.”

That rating was Aviation Boatswain's Mate (ABE).  Valdez was stationed in Bremerton, Washington aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, USS Nimitz (CVN-68).  He operated and maintained the complex hydraulic and steam catapults, arresting gear engines, barricades, and launch consoles used to launch and recover aircraft on the flight decks of the aircraft carriers.

Flight deck operations are often described as one of the most dangerous jobs in the world.  Aircraft carrier flight decks feature roaring jet engines, spinning propellers, and snapping steel arresting wires.

“It was loud,” Valdez recalled.  “It was very busy, a lot of people, long hours, very hot, working with steam catapults.  So, it got pretty hot, especially on our first deployment, out in the gulf.”

He deployed twice while enlisted, including a staggering 341 days at sea during COVID.  It was during those deployments that Valdez found the most value in his service

“My biggest memory would honestly just be serving with the brothers and sisters that I made in the military.  Being out there [on deployment], you're isolated, and just having each other to talk to, experience new things, you just grow really close.  Those are memories I’ll live with forever, and those are lifelong friends.”

After five years in the military, Valdez moved back to Surprise to start a new chapter in his life.  Service was calling again, this time closer to home.  He applied for the Surprise Police Academy. 

“So I chose Surprise, because this is my home.  My friends and family live here, and I want to protect the community that made me feel welcome, and also the community that my friends and family live in.  Being a police officer was always something I had been interested in, but I joined for the same reason as I joined the Navy.  I wanted to have a uniform I can be proud to wear every day, and also it holds me accountable, and it's just serving a cause greater than myself.”

Valdez is excited to get to work for the Surprise Police Department, working patrol and interacting with the people.  He has a girlfriend who will shortly become a fiance (She knows it’s coming so this isn’t ruining anything!).  He plans to stay with the Surprise Police Department working towards becoming a detective and continue to make Surprise his home. 

“I'm very proud to be able to work for Surprise and be working alongside the community that I grew up in.”