Austintown schools’ media specialist to retire after 37 years of service
By kristine Gill
kgill@vindy.com
austintown
A corner of the Fitch High School media center will look bare Tuesday.
“It will be a much emptier room,” said media specialist Harold Wilson, who along with his wall of student photos, flag collection and penguins will have left.
“When I moved from Frank Ohl to the high school, it took five hours to take them down from the ceiling,” he said — pointing to dozens of penguin figurines and stuffed animals he’d acquired as a “big-time YSU fan.”
The Austintown native and graduate of Kent State University and Youngstown State University is retiring after 37 years in the district. Wilson, 58, said he’s looking forward to more free time, but he’ll miss working with students.
“That’s the greatest thing about this: the kids. You get to make friends with them, and you help direct them because there are a lot of kids who don’t have that,” he said.
As a librarian at Frank Ohl for about 27 years, Wilson knew each student in fifth and sixth grade. He moved to Fitch in 2001 where he’s developed lasting relationships with students whom he often sees in the community. He’s taught children of former students who still remember working for him as library aides at the middle school.
Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.