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His mother, Cheryl, the school nurse at Bluffton High School, didn't make him out to be an academic. But after teaching Josh for a while, Sprouse came to know him as more than a hard worker and attentive student. She came to appreciate his sense of humor, love of life, and devotion to his family.
But most importantly, Sprouse came to know Josh's heart.
"His heart was bigger than himself" she said in a speech to an audience of about 2,500 people Wednesday night at the high school's football stadium. Friends, classmates, teachers and family gathered for a memorial service and to celebrate Josh's life. He died Tuesday following a prom-night crash early Sunday morning in which his truck was hit by an alleged drunken driver.
The bleachers Wednesday echoed with tears, laughter and memories.
Josh, whose organs were used to give the gift of life to others, already has saved one person, Sprouse said.
"That very lucky someone got a very large heart," she said. "I've gotten to know so many wonderful young people in all the years I've been teaching. But none with the heart Josh has given to some lucky soul."
Sprouse was one of over a dozen people who spoke during the service.
Coaches, teammates and friends told tales of the love and happiness that revolved around Josh. He was passionate about techno music, especially "Sandstorm" by Darude. He loved his art class and made a long list of projects for his mother, older sister Jessie and younger brother Jake. He once even found himself standing atop a poetry wheel while it was spinning.
Josh, the captain of the school's soccer team, was known for his sense of humor and his personal sense of style on the playing field.
"If you wanted to look for Josh on the soccer field, you wouldn't look for number eight," said teammate Eric Harsta. "You'd look for the kid with his shorts up to his shoulder blades."
Soccer coach Mark Cook said the number eight is being retired in Josh's honor. And a new "Josh George Coaches Award" will be presented annually to an outstanding athlete.
Principal Robert Anderson said he hopes students will learn from the responsible yet fun-loving way Josh led his life. Friends say he took on the role as head of his family after his father, Maj. Aaron C. George, died nearly seven years ago when the F-16 he was piloting crashed near Edwards Air Force Base in California.
"You can be a cool kid and still do the right things," Anderson said Wednesday.
Anderson said the gathering was organized to give students an opportunity to express their feelings.
"This is part of their grieving process," he said. "There is a tremendous loss in our building."
Student Mike Savino had only one class with Josh, but still felt changed by knowing him.
"I'm trying to give back everything that Josh gave me," he said as he stopped to leave a message for his classmate on a poster at the stadium gate.
"I love you" he wrote. "It won't be the same."
Inside the stadium, other posters created earlier in the week, bore earlier hopes -- "Get better soon" and "Keep praying."
Tony Toniolo, a teammate, hopes people will remember how important it is to enjoy life and make the most of it. He and the rest of the team crowded around Cheryl, Jessie and Jake to hug them.
Toniolo knows the healing process is going to take a while.
"We're all going to get through this together," he said minutes after the team released dozens of green and white balloons into the sky.
