We often learn our most important lessons during childhood, which we keep with us while we grow up as they teach important morals or values. This is the story of when Associated Student Body (ASB) director Andy Schultz learned a valuable lesson from his father when he was a child living on a farm — a story he has carried with him for his entire life and treasured.
It starts on a warm and glowing summer day in Washington on a 10,000- acre farm, when Schultz was in fifth grade and was as stubborn as any other kid. Looking forward to playing in the fields or hanging out with the cattle, Schultz’s plans were thwarted when his father asked him to fix the roof on the farmhouse, removing the shingles one by one and replacing them one by one again. Once his father left, Schultz chose to hang out with cows instead. Once dinner time arrived, Schultz was anxiously waiting to see his father’s angry reaction, but instead witnessed the opposite. His dad didn’t say anything, did not scold him but simply took him out to the farm roof every single day, waiting for him to begin on his own.
“It taught him about how he wanted to lead young people, [with patience rather than anger]. It also taught him the importance of doing work, and doing it right,” Schultz’s wife and Grade Level Coordinator Corolar Schultz said.
For 27 years, Schultz has served Walnut High School (WHS) with kindness and integrity that will forever leave its mark after his retirement. He was the man behind making each year memorable for thousands of students, working tirelessly for events ranging from senior breakfasts to pep rallies. He served as the ASB director for 19 years, but was also a beloved championship-winning basketball coach, chemistry teacher and forever a member of the Mustang family. With a selfless stance to leadership, Schultz hopes to leave an admirable legacy but most importantly, wants his students to be the best student leaders they can, carrying his values and lessons he has taught them along the way.
“I really admired him when he talked to his students, as he would express how it’s important to help others, even when they don’t ask for help,” Athletic Secretary Ave Tauvao said, who was Schultz’s ASB Secretary for 10 years. “He’s a genuine person. He’s always there to support his friends, his family and is unconditionally kind to people. He truly treats ASB like they’re family, and he talks to the students about how important it is to trust each other and that your words are important.”
Although ASB may seem like an easy class from all the fun activities and posts made on Instagram, being the director of the class requires Schultz to work constantly behind the scenes for almost every school event. Often demanding late nights and early mornings, Schultz balances coordinating special events and celebrations, then running back to the ASB snack shack to sell chips and ice cream to hungry and sleepy students during lunch. Being the ASB director for 19 years, one would think they would get tired or simply throw in the towel, but not Schultz. Even with all these challenges, he truly loves his job and the people he gets to work with, where challenges are a part of the job and serve as an opportunity to help others.
“My ASB students are really [something special]. I’m really blessed at how the kids have changed because the year I watched the [old ASB teacher teach his students] the president would sleep on the coach and about five or six of the students would do tasks while the others wouldn’t,” Schultz said. “These students that I have now, they go out and do what needs to be done. They’ll continue doing amazing things next year, you won’t even notice that I’m gone.”
Schultz’s journey as an ASB teacher started long before his time at WHS, and his career plans weren’t anything close to the education field. Schultz went to Washington State University for a year and then transferred to Carroll College, which is known for their biology and medical majors. Schultz was planning to graduate with a biology degree but after struggling to keep up with his classmates, he had to rethink what he wanted to do for the future. Unsure of where to look, Schultz began to worry about his future until an unexpected conversation brought him to where he is today.
“It was my junior year [in college], I was talking to my head basketball coach, who was also my biology teacher, and he goes, ‘Why don’t you be a teacher like me? You’d be a really good teacher.’ So then I thought about it. And I thought,’ that sounds like a pretty good idea,’” Schultz said.
Schultz landed his first teaching job at Wilbur High School in Washington, teaching chemistry for three years and becoming the head basketball coach for four years. But after a couple of years, Schultz was looking to move on, he didn’t dislike the school, but it didn’t feel like home. During this time, in his mid-thirties, Schultz faced a dark time in his life and wanted to commit suicide. He lost his car and recently lost his mother and his grandfather, two people he held closest to him. It seemed like life was not going to get any better. He wanted to give up, but just before he closed his eyes, his cousin called.
When everything felt like it was spiraling out of control, the presence of a family member, someone to exist within that moment of anger and sadness intertwined, meant everything to Schultz. The phone screen read 11 a.m. and the glow of the phone brought a slight sense of warmth and peace in the chaos and pain. They talked for a while, where Schultz admitted to his plans of suicide, still battling his dark thoughts and feelings of emptiness. His cousin finally told him, “Don’t do it.” Telling him there was hope in the future, to keep fighting and living to find happiness even if it seemed impossible. Schultz listened and the thoughts no longer overwhelmed him.
A couple of years later, within life’s crazy consequences or Schultz’s life sending a message that things were going to change, a chatty conversation at a Dodgers game in California with a WHS alumnus opened an opportunity for Schultz to turn his life around for the better.
“He kept talking about WHS and how it was such a great place. I asked where this school is and he replied, ‘you know where Diamond Bar is’ and I said, ‘yes, I did know.’ I came to the school the next morning after the Dodgers game because he just didn’t shut up about it,“ Schultz laughed.
Schultz then landed himself in Walnut, where he anxiously approached the front desk, summoned his courage and asked for a teaching position in chemistry, hoping silently that this would be the school for him, that his luck would be on his side to land him a place he would learn to love and belong.
“I came to WHS and into the front office. It was the first day of summer school. I talked to Mary Sersha, who was the assistant secretary. And I go, “Do you have any chemistry jobs here?” And she goes, “We’ve been looking for a chemistry teacher for a couple of months now. I want you [to work here],” Schultz said.
It was no time before students and staff recognized Schultz’s empathic gestures and responsible work ethic as a teacher. He didn’t just care; he took the time to really understand his students and make real connections that he treasured deeply. So when another job opportunity came up, requiring commitment and engagement. It was no surprise when Schultz was called up by the principal at the time, Dr. Ken Gunn, for a special meeting.
“Dr. Gunn called me into his office one day, and he said, “I want you to look at the board. Which [position] are you gonna do for me?” [There was information on the ASB director and boys basketball coach]. I’m thinking. “Well, I don’t know what the ASB director is, but I think I would rather do that than be the boys basketball coach,” because the boys basketball coaches at WHS get fired every two or three years. And then he goes, “Okay, great, you’re going to be the ASB director next year,” And that’s how I got hired,” Schultz said.
This unexpected and nerve-racking promotion created hesitation at first for Schultz as he began learning the ropes of being a director from the previous ASB teacher, Jim Fallow, but over time the idea of taking charge of such an important program and being able to connect with students eventually excited and won him over. Starting the journey that will go down in WHS’s history books.
“At first, I didn’t know if I wanted to be in ASB, because I didn’t know anything about it. But the more I sat in the class, observing, the more I realized I wanted to be part of it and I just decided that this is what I was going to do,” Schultz said.
Almost everyone on campus could tell you about how contagious Schultz’s smile and caring personality are. His sense of humor that could lighten anyone’s day, even if they were going through something difficult. Even just looking around at his surroundings, Schultz is always on the lookout for others in need, a selfless calling he cannot explain in words, but through his love for people and understanding that kindness goes a long way.
“I don’t even know that person outside,” Schultz stated during the interview, pointing to a high school girl on campus, “but if they needed help. I would help them.”
With such a selfless stance to leadership, Schultz hopes he leaves an admirable legacy but most importantly wants his ASB students to be the best student leaders they can, carrying his values and lessons he has taught them along the way.
“Mr. Schulz is the adviser, but he’s also the kind of person that keeps us together,” ASB Pride and Spirit commissioner junior Jullianna Laurel said, “He oversees everything and [all the ASB students] look to him for help. He is very wise and well spoken, but I honestly really appreciate his stories. I remember last year, he would tell us about his own life and it helped us to relate to him more on a personal level. Instead of just being an adviser, he’s more like our family.”
His stories and humor will be passed down from each year following his retirement, keeping his memory alive as the adviser and director who treated each student like his own family. Teaching always came from his heart, and empathy was valued more than anything else for Schultz.
“He would always have a smile whenever you saw him. Everyone has their own unique relationship with him, because they all talk to him about different things, and he cares a lot about our lives outside of ASB and school. He also tells really great stories; you could talk to him about anything,” ASB president and Rallies commissioner senior Ryan Harada said.
For Schultz, it was never about being an important face of the school, but a face people could recognize and feel comfortable talking and connecting with.
“Schultz made sure every student was represented in ASB, even those who didn’t feel like they fit in socially. He made ASB a safe place for them so they could feel accepted and comfortable to reach their goals,” Tauvao said.
As his chapter at WHS comes to an end, Schultz does not deny his sadness and emotions of bittersweetness of saying goodbye to the school he served diligently, the school that holds some of his best memories and friends. But, he looks forward to turning a new page in his future, although not knowing exactly where it might head and lead him, he faces it with positivity and hope, leaving WHS with one last smile.
“[Retiring] makes me kind of sad, but it makes me really happy,” Schultz said. “I know that my ASB students are gonna just keep going to make
