You can find him smiling in the hallways, greeting the students as they walk to class, or you will hear his booming voice exclaiming the announcements over the intercom. After four years of being principal, Kent Nightlinger’s energy will not be bouncing through the halls due to his retirement.

Although the announcement for Nightlinger’s retirement may be sad, as he looks back on the last couple of years, Nightlinger hopes he made a difference in the lives of students.

“I have had a blast,” Nightlinger said, reflecting on the memories he made here. “I think for all of many years I have been in the education world, bottom line, it just comes down for me doing positive things and having an impact on all the students. I remember years and years ago I said, ‘whatever I decide to do as a profession or career, first and foremost, I want to have fun every day I go to work.’ I hope the last four years have been fun.”

Nightlinger’s vow to stay positive and have fun has made an impact on the students and teachers he works with daily, according to Paula Giese, Nightlinger’s assistant.

“[I will miss] his sense of humor,” Giese said. “He is probably the funniest person I have ever met and he can always lift your spirits up. He does impressions, and he will just break out into something songs. He is just very witty. One of my favorite memories is I had said ‘what if we did Jaws the Musical for school?’ and he broke into song for the Jaws theme and just went off into it.”

While his sense of humor is what will be missed most by Giese, Nightlinger reflects on something even more important to him and what he will miss most about being principal.

“Students. Period. It really is all about the students,” Nightlinger said. “I love standing out in the hallway and seeing students day to day and them coming up and saying hi, and meeting with the student leadership team. To me that’s the biggest thing: the day to day interaction with students.”

The involvement with students, and kids in general, is one of the reasons Nightlinger became a principal, he said.

“He cares about people,” Giese said. “He loves the students and he loves to go to the events. Whether it is a concert, sporting event, or robotics [competition], he really likes to be around the kids. [Nightlinger] has made an impact by showing that he cares about them. Kids notice that. They like seeing him at their events and I can walk down the hall with him and they are waving and saying hi.”

Nightlinger’s involvement with the students has shaped many people’s lives, Giese said. While only being principal for four years, Nightlinger has impacted students just by showing he cares.

“Mr. Nightlinger has been my principal all four  years of high school and I have to say one of my favorite things about him is the way he strives to connect with the students,” Hannah Sweetwood, senior on the Leadership team, said. “I am going to miss the all the positive energy he brought to our school. He always knows how to put a smile on someone’s face.”

Although people may be sad that Nightlinger is retiring, it does not mean he is done with his job in helping students, he said.

“It is a bittersweet decision,” Nightlinger said. “There’s a part of me that obviously would love to stay on for quite a long time, but you make decisions and choices in life because you have to do what’s best for you as well, and personally I don’t think I am done in education. I don’t think anybody has seen the last of me.”