Meet the Newest Griffin: Principal Matt Mezger

BEATRICE - After winning a state championship as a player and spending five years with HTRS as an educator/activities director, Matt Mezger is now all settled in as the principal at Diller-Odell Public Schools. "It's been good. I mean, everyone over there has been really nice in the interaction that I've had with all the people over in Diller and Odell has been great. I miss the people of Humboldt, Table Rock, Stella and all that region, but it's been a great move for me." Mezger began his duties as a Griffin on Tuesday. After several years as a basketball coach at both HTRS and Lincoln Public Schools, it won't be easy for him to stay outside of the court. "To leave that, and to leave some of those kids that have worked so hard and believed in me while I believed in them, that was tough. I just felt like it was my turn in my life to move on and take that next role from being an athletic director to being a principal." As the K-12 Principal, he has said that it brings him back to one of his focuses as an educator: student achievement. "If I can get my kids to be successful in academics, they can be successful in life." Diller-Odell's first day of classes will be on Thursday, August 17th. "I'm super excited about the school year. I'm excited to be a Griffin, and I'm excited to hopefully lead that school to new heights." Mezger was replaced at HTRS in his athletic director position by Kara Engles.