After 24 years of leading the Camas High School (CHS) band program, Richard Mancini is retiring at the end of this school year. He will not only be leaving behind a music program, but a legacy as well.
Long before he taught music, Mancini was a student musician himself, playing saxophone and piano in his high school band. Then, he went on to study music education in college.
Prior to being at Camas, Mancini spent 16 years teaching music to students from fifth grade through high school in a small coastal town in Washington. His passion for music and education has been a lifelong commitment—one that has left a lasting mark on students and CHS.
“Many traditions have the band as their backbone,” CHS junior Logan Hakala said. “He’s always made an effort to know his students and has built an incredibly close-knit family within the band.”
At CHS, Mancini has led the orchestra, symphony and concert bands, and jazz bands. Under his direction, the bands have become more than just classes—they are communities. From playing Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony No. 4 to the “Star Wars” main theme, classes and concerts are a space where students can grow as musicians and as people.
“I like anything where I get to watch them perform,” Mancini said. “That’s the point of what we do.”
But Mancini’s focus is not only on the performance, but also on the values he instills in his students. He is known for many mottos including “Work hard first, have fun second,” and the even more memorable, “Don’t do stupid things on purpose.”
“I want them to be good people,” Mancini said. “That’s always been more important to me than how good a player somebody is.”
He shared that many students have told him band is what got them through high school. Whether it is the sense of community, the fun of making music, or simply having a place to belong, Mancini has created a space where kids look forward to walking into the band room every day. His efforts to build a safe, inclusive, and kind environment have not gone unnoticed.
“He created a space for everyone to enjoy music and unapologetically be themselves,” Hakala said.
Not only does he teach music, but he also gives students opportunities to succeed and listens to their ideas. For instance, the marching band’s performances of “Jump On It” and “Suicide Trombones” were both student ideas that Mancini helped become reality.
“He’s given me so many opportunities to succeed and help me improve as an instrumentalist,” sophomore Dana Sparling said.
When it comes to retirement, Mancini said he is most looking forward to sleeping in and enjoying some well-deserved rest at home.
Even after he steps away from the classroom, Mancini’s legacy at CHS will continue, carried on by the students he has inspired and the community he has built.
“We love you, Mr. Mancini,” Sparling said.
