Liberty High School principal sings the praises of an education at YSU

A longtime educator is grateful to YSU for enabling him and his kids to keep the Valley home.

YOUNGSTOWN — John J. Young of Poland, principal of Liberty High School for the past 11 years, credits Youngstown State University with launching him on a successful career in education.

Young, who attended Saturday’s homecoming events at the university, received his bachelor’s degree in education from YSU in 1973, when the campus was undergoing major growth, and later received two master’s degrees in education from YSU.

He was a social studies teacher and later an elementary, middle and high school principal during his 23 years with the Brookfield schools before he became principal at Liberty High School.

Young was also an assistant football coach at Cardinal Mooney High School and at Brookfield High School, when they won state championships in 1973 and 1978, respectively.

“I’ve always been a Mahoning County guy. I’ve always been a stay-home guy. That’s why I went to YSU,” Young said, adding that the university helped him make the contacts that led to his teaching, coaching and school administration career.

“The big significance is because four of my five kids went to school here, so there’s always a connection,” Young said, referring to his attendance at each of the last 12 YSU homecomings.

His four YSU-educated sons are: John L., who is associate director of the university’s Kilcawley Center; Reid, who is the band director at an Indiana high school; Guy, a teacher in a Warren charter school; and Dan, a senior in YSU’s nursing school, who aspires to be a nurse-anesthetist.

“It was a bargain for me to send four kids here,” due to the state-subsidized tuition, he observed. Young added that he is grateful for the education his sons received at YSU.

Young said it was also gratifying to see 15 Liberty High School graduates, who now attend YSU, at the university’s homecoming. “I want the kids to stay in this area, and I preach that all the time,” he said.

Young attended the homecoming with his son, John L., and his grandsons, Guy, 4, and Charlie, 2. Guy and Charlie were dressed in Penguin costumes as they awaited the start of the university’s homecoming parade.