Todd’s Take: Farewell, Mr. Stansbury — A Tribute To My High School Counselor

I’m at the age (45) where I check the obituaries almost daily to see if there is anyone I know or know of via friends and family.

Yesterday, I was saddened to see that one of the more influential school teachers I ever had passed away.

His name was Roger Stansbury.  Myriad students throughout Yakima had him as a choir or music teacher but during his tenure at West Valley Junior High and High School, he was my drama teacher and guidance counselor.

I will always be grateful to him for helping me through a rough patch that often occurs during those awkward teenage years. I started struggling with my schoolwork and my grades were reflecting that. Since I'd been an honors student, Mr. Stansbury caught this and called me into his office. He showed me a level of human compassion and concern that I hadn't really ever experienced from an authority figure before.

He asked me what I was interested in. What I wanted to be when I "grew up." I told him that I wanted to become a sports broadcaster on the radio. Knowing that there weren't many avenues directly related to that at my home school, he got me in tune with the Yakima Valley Vocational Skills Center (now known as YV-TECH) and encouraged me to take their radio/television course they were offering in the summer. After that, he approached my principal, Mr. Jerry Craig, and advocated for me to become the public address announcer at our home varsity boys basketball games.

Needless to say, those two things helped develop a then-germinating career choice that I am proud to have been in since before I even graduated! With that, I say, THANK YOU, Mr. Stansbury. Keep chasing those windmills, wherever you are!