Some people you meet in life just stand out to you. Some people are contagious with laughter and positivity. Some people instantly make your day better, and you look forward to seeing them. Mr. Young is one of those people. Mr. young graduated from Glasgow High School as one of Delaware’s top high school swimmers. He went on to swim for the University of Delaware and set several school records. After being a swim coach for a few years, he became the physical education teacher here at DMA. He is now the PE teacher, health teacher, and swim coach here at DMA. I met him first as a swim coach freshman year, and a couple months later as my PE teacher.

My first reason for nominating Mr. Young is because he is a role model for those around him. He always holds himself to high standards and is always looking to represent our school in the best way. There have been some All-American swimmers at DMA, and every day at practice, we practice like we’re all that good. Every year when a few guys and girls get to swim at states, he treats them like Olympians. He always talked about honoring those who had swam before you and respecting what it means to swim for DMA.

Next, Mr. Young is opportunistic. He gives everyone on the team the same number of events and an equal opportunity to help the team win. All season long he stresses that each time you dive into the water is an opportunity to help the team win, but more importantly it’s an opportunity to help yourself win. Maybe someone had a certain goal time in mind, maybe someone wants to get better at this certain event, but when you step up to the blocks, you feel confident that Coach Young has prepared you for this moment, and you never take the opportunity for granted.

Lastly, Craig Young beams the happiness, energy, and everything positive. Everything about him puts not just a smile on his face but a smile on everyone around him too. On the old schedule, I had gym first thing in the morning, and it would always be a great start to my day. Craig made me feel like he should be a part of the PE class, not the teacher, because the bond he creates with everyone makes you feel like you’ve been friends for years. You never know why he’s happy because he’s always smiling. If he’s not smiling, he’s laughing. This doesn’t mean he’s always nice. He yells when he needs to, and kills the team with intense practices on occasion, but he does it all to make you a better student, swimmer, and person.

Craig Young is an exceptional educator who has a positive outlook on everything. He is a role model, he is an opportunist, and an optimist. For these reasons, I am nominating Craig Young for 2018 Educator of the Year.