Colin Young’s strengths as an administrator have shined as Poway Unified undergoes a major District wide middle school redesign. Oak Valley, where Mr. Young has served as Principal since 2019, is a model for PUSD’s other middle schools, due to the strong systems he and his team have put into place. From Connections class to multiple electives options, Fun Fridays to the Forever Falcons mindset, Mr. Young has been an integral leader for a cultural shift at Oak Valley which has resulted in improved student engagement and wellbeing. Mr. Young has a playfulness that his middle school students and staff connect with, while leading through kindness, confidence, and genuine relationship-building. He is also a previous ACSA winner, as the 2018 Secondary Co-Administrator of the Year, when he served as Assistant Principal at Mt. Carmel High School.