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Volume 4 Number 1
The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics
September 1984
YOUNGBLOOD BEGINS NEW EXPERIMENT
By Jeff Cherry
Dr. William Youngblood
has worked in a laboratory
for most of his career, so
it is hardly .surprising
that he regards his job as
NCSSM's principal as his
newest experiment.
Like his predecessor,
Youngblood does not fit
most students' conceptions
of a high school principal
because he is not one by
training. Before coming
here over the summer, he
was a research associate in
the Biological Sciences
Research Center at the
University of North
Carolina in Chapel Hill,
and it is his extensive
experience in- research that
he regards as his main
qualification for the job.
"I think I have the
background and perspective
to satisfy the board's
desire to see 'research'
conducted here."
Youngblood does not see
his position as a desk job.
"I don't see myself as
being out of academics," he
claims, and explains that
his contract with the Board
of Trustees calls for at
least 25 percent of his
time to be devoted to
working with students.
Im-
9.
Not surprisingly, most
of this time will be
devoted to involving
students and faculty in
"in-house" mentorships. "I
survived in research by
getting grant money for the
past 10 years—these have
provided my experience."
Youngblood wants to use
that experience to take "a
leadership role in applying
for grants and money to
SiBR
fund research in-house." He
says, "I don't really want
to see myself as a
principal."
Youngblood is a familiar
face to veteran faculty
members, serving as a
chemistry tutor and
part-time Organic Chemistry
instructor during NCSSM's
first three years. He
calls that first class he
taught ,"The finest
chemistry students I've
ever had." He also remained
in contact with the school
by serving as a mentor for
several students, and
decided to apply for the
position after learning of
the difficulties the school
was having in finding an
appropriate candidate. He
says, "I didn't want to see
the school get hurt," by
going another year without
a permanent principal.
As for the future?
Youngblood foresees no
major changes: "I hope
that we can . . . become
even more effective than in
the past in assessing
individual skills,
potentials, needs of
students—and prescribing
for them a course of
studies which will most
effectively help them
realize their potential and
be prepared to use it."
How does ‘ Professor
Youngblood view Principal
Youngblood? "We don't know
yet that I am effective.
That experiment is still
underway." That experiment
will hopefully be a very
productive one for
Youngblood and NCSSM.
MATROS TAKES P.R. POST
The public relations
position at NCSSM has been
assumed this year by
Michael Matros.
Matros most recently
worked for the North
Carolina Center for Public
Policy Research in
Raleigh, as the associate
editor of North Carolina
Insight, a magazine
published by the research
center.
Matros said he came
here because he considers
NCSSM to be a previous
opportunity. "It's a neat
place," says Matros.
The image of the school
is not yet defined,
according to Matros. He
plans to "chart the
direction of the
perception" of NCSSM.
"It is owed to North
Carolina taxpayers to know
more about the school," he
stated.
Matros plans to
communicate to the public
through television,
reporters, and
publications such as
catalogues and brochures
and pamphlets.
"The school is an
important resource for the
state," he said.