By Don Murtha 
Everyone has plans for when they retire.
Bob Young, superintendent of the Mount Angel School District is no exception.
Bob and his wife, Pat, will travel to England, Ireland and Scotland this summer.
“Then, I have a long list of projects to do at home, that I never seem to get to,” Young said.
He will travel to California this summer to attend a wedding and in September, he and his wife are going to “Hawaii to relax and just go slow.”
And then he will be back doing what he has always done in the community – helping out wherever he can including volunteering at the schools and for Habitat for Humanity.
“I will be looking for things that will be of help to other people,” he said.
If you ask around Mount Angel, you will find that is just how Young has always been.
Maureen Ernst said it always has been a pleasure to work with Young on projects. They are both members of the Mount Angel Lions Club.
“His compassion for the community and his compassion for the kids in the schools are unrivaled,” Ernst said.
“He volunteers for the Lions at Oktoberfest and also for the chamber. He also does a lot behind the scenes that he isn’t always given credit for.”
During Oktoberfest, Young divides his time between serving doughboy donuts in the Mount Angel School District’s booth and working at the Mount Angel Chamber of Commerce’s booth.
Young’s fondest memories are with the students of Mount Angel, the staff and the parents.
“They have all been so supportive,” he said “I have had opportunities for advancements to larger schools, but I have always chosen to stay in Mount Angel. I have always liked it here.”
Troy Stoops will replace Young as superindent on July 1. Benjamin Merrill will become principal at Kennedy High School.
Among all of Young’s interests, his first priority has always been the students.
“My career has always been dedicated to what I can do to make a difference in the lives of my students,” he said. “I see my job as making the most of every opportunity to make the greatest impact on the most students.”
As superintendent he feels responsible to see that everyone in the school system has the same positive attitude towards the students.
“We want to see that every teacher, every staff member and every volunteer builds a working relationship with every student,” Young said.
He has had the same attitude toward his students from the start of his career.
Born in Eugene, Young earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education at what is now Western Oregon University and his administrative license at the University of Oregon.
He taught elementary school in the Salem-Keizer School District for 13 years, and then became superintendent at Sodaville, which later was merged with 11 other small districts. Then he was superintendent at Marilynn schools, which were also merged with other districts.
“I shut down two districts in as many years,” he recalled, wryly.
At the new North Santiam School District he was hired as director of personnel and curriculum. He was in that position for six years. Young was hired as Mount Angel’s superintendent 10 years ago.
“It has always been my concern to see that everyone is focused on the students,” he said.
And he has seen the results of his work.
“I hear from my former students from time-to-time and they say I have made a difference in their lives. That gives me a thrill. That is the payoff for me,” Young said.
Most recently, one of the students, Adeleni Lopez, wrote Young a thank you note. He smiled as he shared it.
“Thank you for everything you do,” Lopez wrote. “It has been great to talk to and see you this year. You are a great person. Thanks for being who you are and I hope you enjoy your retirement.”
But there have always been the hard cases, the troublemakers and the discipline problems.
“I have had to suspend some and some I had to expel, but I never gave up on any of them. I just don’t quit with the trouble kids,” he said.
There are those he hears from who have found success in life. One boy is now a sales representative who calls on the school regularly. Another is an investigator for the State Department of Justice. A young lady thanked him for the impact he had on her life.
Nancy Bochsler, his secretary, described Young as a people person, “a very genuine man, always thoughtful and deliberate in his decisions. His first priority is always knowing about the students. And he is always involved in the community.”
Debi Brazelton, principal at Mount Angel Middle School, said she was very picky about where she would work.
“The Mount Angel District is highly regarded and things run so smoothly here. I believe it is all due to the consistent leadership of Bob,” Brazelton said. “The district will feel a real loss when he retires. He is very professional and personable and I have learned a great deal from him in the two years I have been here.”
Ernst said Young’s compassion for the community and his compassion for the kids in the schools are unrivaled.
“Bob got the school through some very difficult times through sound judgment and business decisions,” she said. “The school district has become a district admired by many in education and business under his leadership.”
Bill Schaercher, insurance agent, has enjoyed working with Young over the years.
“Bob is a real nice guy. The best. A positive thinker and smooth to work with,” he said. “He is the kind of guy you talk to once and you feel like you’ve known him forever.”
