Mr. Richard D. Woodman is in his twenty-third year of his teaching career with a Bachelor's degree in Science Education from The Ohio State University. Mr. Woodman began his teaching career as a Life Science teacher at Memorial Junior High School. Not only did he begin to fine tune his teaching skills during those early years, but also found tremendous pleasure and satisfaction working with young athletes in both volleyball, cross country and track and field. In 1983, Mr. Woodman returned to The Ohio State University where he pursued his Master's Degree in Exercise Physiology. He returned to Memorial and Mentor High in 1984 and became a full time teacher of Biology at Mentor High in 1985. Over the past fifteen years, Mr. Woodman has taught all phases of biology including Biology Fundamentals, Honors Biology and Advanced Placement Biology. He was also the Head Girls' Track and Field Coach from 1986-1993 and has been the Head Girls' Volleyball Coach since 1987. He was awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award by the Mentor Board of Education in 1993, the Excellence in Teaching Award by his colleagues at Mentor High School in 1999, and was selected as a Jennings Scholar by the Mentor Board of Education in 2000. He has been recognized numerous times for his efforts in track and field and volleyball most notably being selected as Ohio Coach of the Year in 1998 for helping guide the volleyball Cardinals to a state Runner-Up finish. He finds tremendous satisfaction and sense of accomplishment in helping young people understand their potential in the academic and athletic arena and ultimately assisting them in achieviing their goals.