One month into the new school year, Ukiah High School would like to introduce and welcome our new principal, Allen Riedel. In an interview with UHS News, Mr. Riedel shared past experiences and plans for Ukiah High.
Born in Kansas, Mr. Riedel has lived all around the world, including Scotland and China. More recently, he has lived in Southern California, the Bay Area, and in Orcutt, near Santa Maria. In his free time, Riedel enjoys hiking and biking and has written ten books about hiking trails in Southern California. Prior to becoming the principal of Ukiah High School, he served as Principal at Lorenzo Manor Elementary School in Hayward, California.
Riedel shared that he learned about the position on the educational job site EdJoin. He had previously driven through the community when traveling to our coast. He described his research process for Ukiah High: “When I went to high school, my colors were purple and gold, and about [UHS’s] size. I looked up statistics, the school webpage, then the school accountability report card. I saw a lot of great programs and said, you know, I’m going to apply.”
He told UHS News about his first time on campus: “[My wife and I] drove up here on Sunday before the interviews and walked around the school, and it reminded me a lot of the school that I went to.” He continued, “When I came up the next day, I met with students who walked me around and talked about the campus and all the programs that they are involved in.”
Being new to the community, Riedel shared his impressions of the high school and Ukiah Valley: “People are really friendly everywhere I go, whether it’s a store or a restaurant or here on campus. Everyone’s been super welcoming to me.” He also shared his first impressions of the graduating class of 2027: “The seniors really represent the best of what Ukiah High is about.”
Riedel continued, “I’m excited to get to work with everybody, and that’s really important to me: working with people and understanding what people need and what people want.”
When asked about issues he wants to address, Riedel acknowledged that not all students are taking advantage of programs such as CTE’s, sports, and clubs. He stated, “I know there’s a lot of really great programs, but I don’t think everyone’s connected to those programs.”
To conclude our interview, UHS News asked Mr. Riedel what he would like to tell Wildcat Nation, and this is what he said: “There are so many doors open to you right now. You’re at the beginning of your lives, almost to your adult lives, and nothing is closed…You can put your mind to something and say, you know what, I’m going to accomplish this.”
UHS News would like to close with the core values that Riedel shared with our journalists: “Safety, Success, and Striving for Excellence,” which he intends to implement alongside Ukiah High’s ICPC (Integrity, Compassion, Productivity, & Creativity) pillars. We have already heard him plug these values multiple times on the morning announcements.
Please join us in welcoming Mr. Riedel to Wildcat Nation! We look forward to his positive influence on our school community!
Savannah Kram
Savannah Kram is a senior at Ukiah High School and in her third year of Journalism. She is the Publicity and Communications Commissioner for the leadership class at UHS and the President of the Ukiahilite Club. She joined the journalism class for new experiences, to write about local and current events, and to bring awareness to subjects that have yet to be spotlighted. She was born in Ukiah, California, but lived in Texas for six years. Returning to Ukiah at the age of 11 inspired her to become more involved within the local community. She is ecstatic to finish her journey at Ukiah High News this school year and hopes to focus on journalism in college.
Briana Goodson
Briana Goodson is a Senior and a journalist at Ukiah High School. In her free time, she enjoys reading books and writing. Briana is the Publicity and Communications Commissioner at Ukiah High and the Vice President for the Ukiahilte Club. She joined the journalism class because she wants to write about things that will keep her peers updated. She was born in Ukiah, California, which makes writing things about her community hit close to home. This is Briana’s fourth and final year writing for the UHS News, and she looks forward to reading articles after she graduates.
Josette Mealey
Josette Mealey is currently a senior attending Ukiah High School. In her free time, she enjoys writing poetry, playing video games, and reading about the world around her. Originally from Decatur, Illinois, Josette has loved the unique feel of Ukiah since she was six years old. In recent years, she has become interested in local politics and is an active member of her school and community. She is currently the president of the French Club, vice president of the Women’s Empowerment Club, and plays #4 singles for the Girls Tennis Team. This is her second year writing for UHS News.