Charles Thompson
2012 Inductee
Charles "Chuck" Thompson was born in Meadville, PA in 1936. He graduated from Saegertown High School in 1952, from Edinboro State Teachers College in 1957, and entered the world of education as a geography teacher at Randolph East Mead High School in Guys Mills, PA. Subsequently he acquired a Master's Degree in Secondary Education from Allegheny College, a Masters Degree in Secondary School Administration from Barry College, Florida, and earned 39 additional graduate credits in Guidance and Secondary Education from Edinboro, Penn State, and New Mexico State Universities. Chuck also earned a Certificate of Superintendency in 1974. As part of his educational growth, he also spent time teaching at New Mexico State University and Barry College. In 1971 Chuck became the principal at Union City Area High School where he served for the next 25 years until his retirement in 1996.
From the time he joined the UCHS staff until the day he retired, Chuck made it his goal to make a difference in the lives of the students and faculty he worked with each day. He wasn't a typical principal that would at times be tied down to his office. Rather, he toured the entire high school and middle school facilities two or three times a day, keeping his "finger on the pulse" of the school. He was in-and-out of each classroom, observing not only the teachers and staff, but also the students. He knew them all by name. When dealing with difficult students or angry parents he was firm, but straight forward; this earned him the respect of those he dealt with each day. Chuck had a way of making people feel good about themselves, but more importantly he made them want to try harder and do better. He wasn't above acting silly if it made that shy kid smile. He noticed what people did – whether it was teaching a great lesson, mopping the floor well, or holding open the door for another person – and he complimented them on it. Chuck was the school's best cheerleader and his job was not the 8 hour day you might expect. No matter what the activity – athletics, concerts, plays – Chuck was always there.
Chuck Thompson made Union City High School a place where the teachers and staff enjoyed coming to work. He made it a place where year after year, graduates would return just to drop in and say, "Thank you for caring about me and for making Union City such a great place to go to school." Chuck still resides in Union City. He is the father of Paul, Steve, Mike, Marcy (Rupert), and Greg Thompson, and stepfather of Jeff and Matt Styborski.
