Duane Carlson's job title at Logan View High School is technical arts teacher. But to so many students, he has been so much more. Mr. Carlson is a football coach, wrestling coach and unofficial life coach for a countless number of students. One of those fortunate students is Dan Moeller.

Dan read from his nomination letter before an all-school assembly, "Throughout a person's life they meet many people. Some of these people have a very long lasting impact on their lives. I have had the privilege of meeting one of those people. His name is Duane Carlson."

Superintendent Steve Wilson says, "Duane Carlson has mentored many, many students. Students who maybe needed a little bit more guidance or a little bit more attention he was always there."

Dan says the reason Mr. Carlson deserves a Golden Apple Award is because he takes a sincere interest in the lives of his students, "He's always a guy that's always cared. Like he's always cared what's going on, he doesn't preach it, he teaches it, makes it fun for us to learn."

When Carlson returned to his alma mater in 1980 he thought he had it all figured out. He believed coaching and teaching was all about him, it turns out...he was wrong, I got out of college and I really thought I had all the answers. I thought, 'Boy, I'm gonna set the world on fire. I know everything about football, I'm a coach, I got a lot of spirit and I don't know when, but I was but sittin' in the class one day and I heard myself talkin about myself and I went, 'You've got this butt backward, it's their experience, it's not about you,' but it took me about three years to do that."