INSPIRING EDUCATOR NEVER LOST LOVE FOR JOB; 25-YEAR DISTRICT VETERAN HAILED AS TOP TEACHER.

Byline: Mary Schubert Daily News Staff Writer

It was his first job out of college, and as Gary Mast begins the 25th year of his career, an honor from his employers and colleagues has made his silver anniversary a sweet milestone.

Mast was chosen Teacher of the Year for the William S. Hart Union High School District, a system where the faculty numbers 590 at the district's four junior highs and four high schools. He teaches history and government at Valencia High School.

The Board of Education and Superintendent Robert Lee were scheduled to honor Mast and the seven runners-up during Wednesday night's school board meeting.

Finalists were named from each high school and junior high: Pamela King of Canyon High, Terry Ann Deloria of Hart High, Linda Ann Clark of Saugus High, Franca Koeller of Arroyo Seco Junior High, Robin Geissler-Shehorn of La Mesa Junior High, Diane Martinsen of Placerita Junior High and Betti Sternberg of Sierra Vista Junior High.

Mast, 48, began his teaching career in the fall of 1973 at Canyon High School. At the time, he wasn't that much older than his students - but he recalls his age being an asset back then, not a liability.

He said he can still vividly recall his first year of teaching, and those veteran colleagues who took him under their wings. ``It was great. I had (youth) to offer at that time, and as I grew as a professional, then I had my expertise to offer,'' Mast said. ``I worked with some unbelievable teachers.''

Things have come full circle since then. Now Mast is a mentor teacher, who this year is observing eight new instructors.

Mast said he has borrowed techniques and strategies from the veterans he encountered in the early years of his career. ``I learned things about class control and about putting together a lesson and interacting with students,'' he said.

``My students enjoy my class - they know it's relevant and they know they're learning something,'' Mast said.

Along with classes in American government - the advanced placement variety and the regular class for seniors - Mast teaches a course in world cultures to sophomores.

``I think another important thing is I still love my job. It's still fun for me,'' Mast said. ``They're probably going to carry me out of my classroom on a stretcher,'' he said. ``This is what I do - I'm a teacher. I don't have any desire to be an administrator or anything else.''

He keeps himself fresh after 25 years on the job by attending teacher conferences and professional development workshops.

The most satisfying aspect of his job, he said, is that so many of his former students have followed him into the profession. One of them, a history teacher at Hart High, has Mast's daughter as a student, he said.

``I recently counted - 41 of my ex-students are now teachers,'' Mast said. ``That really makes me proud, that I've got so many of my ex-students as teachers.''

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PHOTO (color) Gary Mast, a history teacher at Valencia High, is the Hart district's Teacher of the Year.

Tom Mendoza/Daily News