Who is Eric Kerr-Heraly?

Eric Kerr-Heraly (pictured, right, with Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings), director of leadership at Incarnate Word Academy (IWA), has watched the popular game show, Jeopardy!, for as long as he can remember. With some encouragement from his mom, Eric began auditioning to be a contestant when he was in his late 20s. After 15 long years of repeat auditions, he finally got the call he was waiting for. Along with his wife, Lauran, and daughter, Daphne, Eric drove to Los Angeles for the opportunity of a lifetime. On Jan. 20, when the episode aired, IWA hosted a watch party so the entire school could show support and join in the excitement while watching their beloved teacher and administrator demonstrate his knowledge. Although he didn’t win, it was thrilling for the school community as well as for Eric and his family. Eric has advice for aspiring Jeopardy! contestants: “If anyone else out there is trying to get on Jeopardy!, my advice is to just keep trying and preparing. It’s rare to get on after your first audition, and I think most of the people at my taping had tried out multiple times,” he said.

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