Charles Dupler Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient
The Performing Arts Department is thrilled to honor the illustrious career of Dr. Paul G. Young. Recently inducted into the Fairfield Union Music Hall of Fame and recipient of the prestigious Charles Dupler Lifetime Achievement Award, Dr. Young's contributions to the field are nothing short of extraordinary.
For decades, the Fairfield Union Music Program has been a beacon of artistic excellence, nurturing generations of talented musicians and instilling a profound love for music in the hearts of students. Much of the success of the music program falls on the shoulders of the individuals that have led our students to new heights. Dr. Young is no exception when it comes to people that have been able to harness the potential of our students with a high standard of excellence. Dr. Young was an excellent contender for this award because of unwavering commitment to music education, education and his profound impact on shaping the lives of students and the cultural fabric of our community.
Other recipients of this prestigious award include Charles E. Dupler, former Board of Education Member, for whom the award is named; Robert C. Trocchia, retired Director of Music at Fairfield Union High School, composer and more; as well as Dale A. Ferbrache, former Principal at Fairfield Union High School.
Congratulations, Dr. Young, on your well-deserved award.
Dr. Paul Young
Paul G
. Young, Ph.D., was raised on a farm near Bremen and graduated from Fairfield Union in 1968. He grew up in a family devoted to education, in which all four Young siblings pursued and retired from distinguished careers in the field. Upon graduation from FUHS, Paul enrolled at Ohio University and graduated with a BFA in Music Education and MMus in Trombone Performance.
He returned home in 1973 to become the Director of Bands at Fairfield Union where he introduced the “Funky Falcon” and many award-winning marching band shows for 11 years. He also taught 4th grade in Bremen.
He served as an elementary principal in the Northern Local and Lancaster City Schools, serving Glenford, Sanderson, Medill and West Schools. He received a Ph.D. in Ed. Administration in 1992. While a principal, he served as president of both the Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators and the 30,000-member National Association of Elementary School Principals.
Upon retirement, he served as Co-Founder and Executive Director of the West After School Center, and then as President and CEO of the National Afterschool Association. He also served 36 years as an adjunct professor of music classes at Ohio University-Lancaster.
He is the author of “Enhancing the Professional Practice of Music Teachers: 101 Tips that Principals Want Music Teachers to Know and Do” and more than a dozen books for principals, teachers, and afterschool professionals. He is a prolific music arranger, with more than 300 instrumental works available from KDP, and Amazon.com Company.
He has been a blogger for EducationWorld.com and Edutopia.com. He has maintained an active private teaching studio since college.
Paul and his wife, Gert, have two daughters. Katie (Jon) Steele, who enjoys a career as the Principal Oboist with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and Mary Ellen (Eric) Rahn, and four grandchildren – Nora, Charles, Evan, and Jack - and hope they each grow to enjoy a life filled with musical experiences.