31 years of experimentation

Come the end of the school year, Lynn Mitchell will no longer be a teacher at Hood River Valley High School.

Mitchell will leave a legacy at the high school, although he will never admit it, because he did in fact change the face of science education in Hood River.

After 20 years with the district, and 31 years as an educator, Mitchell will retire in June. Mitchell has been teaching since 1972, starting in Baker City for six years, he then moved to Japan to teach at an international school for five years. In 1983 he moved to the Hood River Valley and began teaching science classes.

“When I arrived there were only two branches of science,” said Mitchell, “Now there are seven. I think the wizard class helped change that.”

What Mitchell is referring to is the Advanced Chemistry class, or “Science Wizards” class that he founded and ran during his tenure at the high school. “I worry about what will happen to the class,” Mitchell said. “It’s a lot of work and a large burden to take on, but it’s a good thing, the kids that see the Wizard shows go through school wanting to be Wizards themselves, and they know that to be Wizards they need to take science. I know that the class will stay around in some form, but it will probably change, and that’s too bad.”

And it’s true, since Mitchell has arrived, the school has added branches to their science program such as Medical Biology, Advanced Placement Biology, Independent Science Study and of course, the Wizard program.

When asked about his success as a teacher, one would expect Mitchell to mention the awards received during his teaching career, including teacher of the year and honors from the National Science Teachers Association.

But rather than look back and count the awards, Mitchell expresses the worries he has for the clubs in which he is the current adviser for and treats them as his greatest successes. Mitchell said, “The Chess Club will probably be done with as no one has stepped up to the plate, the Culture Club is definitely done, no one wants to organize the tickets and it’s a real shame that the kids will miss out on the operas, the performances and the musicals. Science Club will probably stay around with the class.”

After more than 30 years of teaching, Mitchell is ready to leave, but will still look back to his time at the school and lament a bit of sadness over his departure.

“I will miss the kids, they are the best part of teaching. But I have family to be a part of, with grandchildren to watch grow up. I also have some golfing to do,” commented Mitchell.

“I know I will miss some of what I did here, but you can ask me that question again next year, when I’m in Cabo San Lucas, enjoying vacation.”

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HRVHS senior Erik Hidle has studied with Mitchell for two years.