ALUMNUS' TOUR OF DUTY : AIR FORCE OFFICIAL VISITS ALMA MATER.

Byline: Bhavna Mistry Daily News Staff Writer

As Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Steve Malicott walked the halls of Antelope Valley High School, he was reminded of how things were when he was a student.

``It kind of looks the same,'' said Malicott, walking amid students, faculty and staff at the campus where he graduated in 1972. ``It's deja vu, to go down the corridor as you did when you were a kid.''

Malicott is the senior enlisted adviser to Edwards Air Force Base Flight Test Center Commander Maj. Gen. Richard Engel, responsible for 4,000 enlisted personnel. On Tuesday, he was ``Principal for a Day'' over 2,000 teen-agers, shadowing Principal Mike Dutton.

Sponsored by the Antelope Valley Career Prep Council, the event put a civic leader at each of the Antelope Valley Union High School's campuses. It was meant to show what they could do to help school prepare teens for the world of work.

Others participating in the day included Lancaster Vice Mayor Henry Hearns, who visited the adult education campus; Ken Scott of Boeing North American, at Desert Winds High School, and Palmdale Mayor James Ledford, at Palmdale High, which he attended as a teen.

Malicott said his alma mater proved different than what he envisioned.

``I expected to see more of what is represented on television and in the media - gangbangers, chaos and unclean areas,'' said Malicott. ``But I found a very clean school that has established a set of standards that students at Antelope Valley High School can be proud of.''

Malicott found the principal's duties similar to his own work.

``Our roles are very similar in leadership and guidance,'' said Malicott. ``As principal, (Dutton) he's a senior leader, he serves as a role model by his actions and appearance.''

As part of his duties for the day, Malicott helped organize a band trip to Arizona, worked with maintenance crews on fences and gates, sat in on two parent-student-teacher conferences, visited a computer class, and spoke to students on their way to class.

Malicott thinks changes in society have made educators' jobs more difficult.

``It's more challenging to deal with the new type of student,'' said Malicott. ``Students are learning from their parents and parents are more concerned with (the) administrative side than their child's welfare and education.''

Malicott saw benefit in his visit.

``If more leadership would take the time to take advantage of programs like this they would have a better understanding of the challenges of school administration and faculty,'' said Malicott.

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Photo

Photo: (color in AV only) Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Steve Malicott walks the campus with Antelope Valley High Principal Michael Dutton.

Jeff Goldwater/Daily News