Sometimes people just have to do it themselves.

When Rob Havrilla was in high school he didn’t have much support. He said his family never encouraged or expected him to even graduate and so he started to believe that school just wasn’t for him.

Although Havrilla was never really into school he did have two teachers who helped him stay out of trouble and “out of jail like the rest of my friends.” Although one of his teachers has passed, he still keeps in contact with the other teacher, Mike Radow who worked at Franklin High School.

After high school Havrilla says he worked at many lousy jobs such as at a hazardous chemical company plant, Great Western Chemical, where he worked in the Chemax division where he specifically worked with hazardous chemicals. While working there he was severely burned and spent a long time recovering. Havrilla decided to quit after being offered a promotion that could take him out of state..

After healing from his burn he and his wife sat down to talk about what he should do next. Finally, after much encouragement from his wife, Donna, he decided to go back to school to become a teacher. While at PSU he became a student teacher and was placed  here Centennial in 1998.  He was hired full time in 2000.

Havrilla lives in the area and now considers Centennial his home, “I like the people I work with, but don’t tell them that,” he said.

He said his favorite part of his job is working with students.  “The best part of my job is talking to students.” Havrilla has always been a teacher who is there to talk to any student who needs it at any time.

Although he has said, “There’s always a reason to not succeed. But ultimately it comes down to you.”