Engagement

The Build-Up

Danielle and Jake had been dating for about two years when Danielle decided she wanted to change careers and become a teacher. She got a job teaching Geometry and French at Mariner High School in Cape Coral. Every morning Mariner's journalism class broadcasts a closed circuit news program over the TVs in each of the classrooms and over the loud speakers throughout the campus. It is taped during 1st period and played at the beginning of 2nd period. On most days, the students in this journalism class read the news about the coming days' events and happenings. This was no ordinary day.

Click on the video below and watch what Mariner's faculty, staff, and 2,000 students saw on November 30, 2007 (allow yourself about 10 minutes)

Behind the Scenes

Danielle's Back Story

It started out just like a normal day. Looking back, it was kind of weird that Jake wanted to clean the house the night before and made a comment about what I was wearing to school that day. Toward the end of first period the varsity cheerleading coach came into my classroom and listened to the end of a French lesson. When class was over she told me that we needed to watch the school news that day because my cheerleaders were going to sing Christmas carols. I got upset because how did I not know that my cheerleaders were going to sing on the school news. The varsity coach told me it was supposed to be a surprise. Still annoyed, I decided to just sit tight and watch the news. At the end of the news one of the student anchors said, "Mr. Riddle, someone's here." As the camera panned over I expected to see 30 cheerleaders (JV and Varsity) in Santa hats ready to sing Christmas carols. Instead, I saw Jake. Right away I knew there would only be one reason why my semi-shy boyfriend would be on the news at the school where I taught. All I could say almost the entire time Jake was talking was, "Oh my God." I caught a little bit of what he was saying on the TV through the tears, sobs, and hugging. I was able to hear him say meet me at the bell tower and I ran out of my room. As I got to the courtyard my shoes were falling off, so I decided to kick them off and continue running into the arms of the sweetest man I've ever met. At the presentation of the ring, out of the corner of my eye I could see Cathy (Jake's mom), Martin (Jake's step-dad), and a third person. When I turned to find out who it was, I saw my mom standing there. Jake flew her down from Wisconsin so she could be there. How could anyone say no to someone so wonderful?!

Jake's Back Story

She made me do it