Mary Young:
CLASS OF 1973
Lincoln High SchoolClass of 1973
Lincoln, CA
California State University Class of 1989
Sacramento, CA
Glen Edwards Elementary SchoolClass of 1969
Lincoln, CA
West Elementary SchoolClass of 1967
Levelland, TX
Juniper Elementary SchoolClass of 1967
Redding, CA
Mary's Story
Life
I'm a teacher and an Educational Technology Specialist in the Sacramento City Unified School District. I am also a district science mentor teacher. I have had the honor of working with NASA twice on education curriculum for the Mars MAVENS project. I also do staff development for the district. I am known as the "research and internet queen" at work! I currently teach 4th/5th grade, and believe me, it's not easy, although I love it.
I was in a bad car accident in March 2019 and am still recuperating. It's been a very difficult time for me, but I am working through it. I am actually thinking about retiring, me, the workaholic whose students are so dear to me. I have some difficult decisions to make.
School
The teachers I most enjoyed were Mr. Woods, because he genuinely cared about his students and treated me with kindness, Mr. Emery because he was funny and made learning a blast, and Mr. Welch and Mr. Crabtree, because they helped us reach that artist inside each of us.
College
My first year of college was right after high school. I went for a year to CSUS but couldn't afford anything more than that. So I got a job and worked for 10 years, before quitting and going back to CSUS to get my B.A. in liberal studies and my teaching credential. I had a very eclectic college experience, from practically living in the Theater building for a year, working on productions and theatrical makeup, to hanging out with the archeology folks for a year, to majoring in astrophysics, then finally settling on becoming a teacher. It's a decision I've never regretted.
Workplace
I started working after I was a freshman in high school. I worked for two summers at McClellan AFB and loved it...and the positive attention I received from my bosses and co-workers. Then I worked in the tomato fields ... grueling work of 12 hours a day and 7 days a week...but I loved that too. It made me a better person.
I spent 10 years between my first year of college and the rest of it working for Placer County, first as an Elections Technician and Jury Clerk, later as a dispatcher for the Sheriff's Dept, and finally working on microfilm and microfiche camera operations...Expand for more
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During my college years I worked as a legal secretary, a proofreader (I was always good at spelling, remember Karen?)for an environmental impact agency, a payroll clerk at a cannery, and a data entry operator for the Franchise Tax Board.
It took a long time but I finally became a teacher in 1989, a job which I love and intend to do till my dying day. That is, unless I become senile in my old age. I enjoy working especially with those children who have such a hard time in school, not special ed. but those children who just struggle with everything. I love it when I see the light bulb come on and the joy in their face when they finally get a concept. That's what teaching is all about for me.
UPDATES
I am still working in Sac City Unified but have added a new title to my job. I still teach and do Ed. Tech. But am also a science mentor teacher and am doing professional development. I am such a science geek and I love teaching it. Mr. Woods and Mr. K. were a large part of my love of science.
UPDATE
I was very ill in December, having pneumonia and another secondary infection. I had to be intubated and put in ICU. After 15 days in the hospital, I made it home (still needing some help with caregivers). I'm still not fully well, but I will have to go back to school on April 5th as we are reopening our school. I'm not sure how things will go, but they will be interesting as I am still sometimes short of breath and walking with a walker. After 32 years, I am retiring from the Sac City school district, hopefully by the end of the school year. I won't be retiring from education but just this huge urban district and California. I am seriously thinking about moving to another state as it has gotten so much more expensive here in California and I would love the chance to teach in a one or two room school (I love teaching multiage classrooms!). There are quite a few states out there where they still exist. I miss the Lincoln of the 70s where you knew everyone and it was small and everyone seemed to really care. I'm looking for a small town living experience again. Anyone know some good places? It has to be warm....I don't want to live in the snow.
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