Celebrating Reeder's 40 years at Campion

After 40 years of dedicated service to Campion Academy, Donavan Reeder has announced his retirement. Reeder has served as Principal for the past nine years and prior to that worked as a Men’s Dean for 31 years in the residence hall. He steps down as the longest-standing employee at the Rocky Mountain Conference. As an integral part of Campion Academy for so many years, he leaves a legacy of commitment and spiritual leadership to be honored. 

Reeder’s Campion roots run deep; he was born in Loveland, Colorado while his parents both worked at Campion Academy. His family later moved to Salt Lake City, Utah where he attended Salt Lake City Junior Academy. He attended Andrews University and then transferred to Walla Walla University where he graduated with a degree in Communication. 

He met and married his wife Donna while at Walla Walla. Donna also had Colorado roots, growing up in Denver and graduating from Campion Academy in 1980. After college, the couple decided to move to Loveland. As Don had studied communications, he obtained his first job with a video production company in Loveland. 

At the time, Thure Martinsen was the chaplain at Campion, and he had been Reeder’s principal at Salt Lake Junior Academy. Martinsen invited Reeder to play on Campion’s faculty football team. After the staff had gotten to know him on the field, he was asked to apply as the Assistant Men’s Dean, and he began officially working at Campion Academy in 1984. 

After just two years of working as an Assistant Dean and teaching Speech and World of Work classes, he took on the position of Head Dean of Men in 1986. 

Reeder excelled as a Head Dean, maintaining the position for 29 years. Reeder shared, “I had originally desired to be a youth pastor. I saw that I could preach to the youth, but they needed examples of the Christian life lived in the real world. By being a residence hall dean, I would be living with the students and hopefully be a daily witness to God's working in our lives, just as Mark 3:14 tells us that Jesus lived with His disciples before He sent them out to preach.”

Donna Reeder also worked at Campion Academy as an Assistant Girl’s Dean and in the cafeteria and at Boulder Jr. Academy, until finding her fit in the accounting department where she has continued to work for the past 25 years. Their daughter Jessica (Reeder) Baker has continued her parents’ passion for Adventist Education and currently works as a teacher at the Fort Collins Adventist School. 
​
Reeder served as a Vice-Principal in addition to Head Dean under Principal Spencer Hannah. In 2015, Reeder was selected to become Principal at Campion Academy. 

At the end of the 2015 school year, Campion Academy was struggling with low enrollment, with around 120 students. Reeder was given a goal to increase that to 150 in his first year as principal and Elder Ed Barnett, President of the Rocky Mountain Conference even promised to shave his head if they reached that goal. In a memorable event, the goal was reached and Elder Barnett’s head was shaved. 

Barnett commented, “He was a great leader and soon we were getting our enrollment back up. The thing that impressed me the most with Don was the spirituality on the campus,” he added. Don was a friend that Barnett will always cherish, “What a blessing he had been for the Rocky Mountain Conference!” 

Reeder is well-known for keeping the mission and spiritual development of Campion Academy students at the forefront. As principal, he made the mission of Campion Academy clear, saying, “I wanted the students to be trained to go into the world with the message of Jesus.” 

Under his leadership, Reeder expanded the Spiritual Life Committee to include the church pastors and HMS Richards principal which began to meet weekly.  He also made sure Wednesday evenings were dedicated to spiritual programming (Fusion) to give more emphasis on spiritual development and training. 
Other accomplishments included; creating security ID cards for secure entry to the Ad Building; creating new signage throughout campus and in the Ad building; adding a communication director, formalizing the international student program with Dean Helm, adding the Cougar statue to campus with the Stenbakkens and Bob McConnell, and creating the endowments for Student Legacy and Capital improvements. 

In 2019, Reeder’s dedicated service to the ministry of Adventist Education was formally recognized when he was ordained by the Rocky Mountain Conference.

Reeder led Campion Academy through the challenging years of the COVID pandemic, leading with a balanced approach; keeping Campion Academy open for in-person instruction while instituting strong policies to prioritize health and safety. 

Among Don Reeder’s friends is the conference’s former Education Superintendent, Lonnie Hetterle, who has been acquainted with Reeder for nearly 30 years. He recollects that “during that long span of time I have had the opportunity to observe and to work with him in a wide variety of circumstances and situations when he was a boy’s dean, a teacher, an academy principal and as a fellow follower of Jesus Christ. Faithfulness and consistency are two words that clearly describe Mr. Reeder.

“His desire to rightly represent his Savior has fully influenced all of his decisions. As a new principal he always was willing and in fact eager to take counsel and made every effort possible to arrive at the correct and best decision for each situation. His desire to be the very best leader he could be continued throughout his career. He did his best to look at every scenario from the student’s perspective, from the staff viewpoint, and from the school’s perspective but always with a redemptive mindset”.  According to Hetterle, Reeder set the standard for “servant-leadership”.  

“His willingness to listen, to encourage, and to lead with compassion was always present. He  was an excellent example of professional leadership. I never saw a time when Don’s ego affected his decision making and I also am unaware of any decision he made without spending time in prayer and listening intently for leading from the Holy Spirit. Don loves his God, his church, his school and his family deeply.  Campion is certainly what it is today in a large part due the influence of Don Reeder,” Hetterle added.  

In retirement, as during his career, Reeder is turning to God for direction: “I am watching where God is leading for me to serve Him,” he shared; “I would like to camp more, golf more, and visit family and friends more.” 

Jill Harlow,  Communication Director

Words of Appreciation from students, alumni, parents, and co-workers

“Mr. Reeder has always been a positive light in my life. I’ve appreciated him as a student, parent, coworker, and friend. I have known him since attending Campion Academy. Back then, he served as head dean. Though I had no classes from him, I always looked forward to having him lead worship. Listening to him sing and play his guitar, his music ministry was a highlight of my high school experience. Since being back on Campion’s campus, I have looked forward to him singing and having worships with students. It brings me back to my fond memories in high school. Mr. Reeder has a love for Jesus that runs deep. I pray the best for him but may his legacy of his love for Jesus continue at Campion and quicken the return of Jesus.” - Kari Lange

“Mr Reeder was the best principal anyone could ask for. He loved us students and was so friendly and happy. I will miss him!” - Clara Aakko

“Dear Mr. Reeder, thank you for demonstrating Christ’s love and truth throughout the years you sacrificially served at Campion Academy.  Your loving care, dedication, and commitment to each student, parent, teacher, and staff member was consistently evident in your words and deeds. You will be greatly missed! “The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. Numbers 6:24-26” - Tristi Ramos

“One of the biggest reasons that I moved to Colorado was because of you. I’ve never worked with a principal that encouraged and supported evangelism as much as you!  You’ll be missed.”  - Matthew Hasty

“Don Reeder is/has been the best Principal I have ever known.  Don has a way of giving bad news in the most positive way.  He cares about everyone, and that is shown in his genuine interest in each and every one of his staff, students, and everyone he meets.  He is amazing at remembering names and listening.  He never takes sides with issues and helps people see both sides of a situation.  He lives a Christ centered life and he will be missed by everyone.” - Amy Kluchesky

“Mr Reeder always had a smile on his face and always greeted students by name. He was always willing to talk with us and always prioritized personal relationships with the students. He's also just a funny and likable guy, and I know I'll miss him a lot and I'm sad he won't be principal as we graduate.” - Lily Testardi

"Mr Reeder, thank you so much for showing a genuine interest in each of our children.  Your smile and friendliness were felt by all of us.  We felt very comfortable leaving our children at Campion under your supervision. May God continue to richly bless you and give you peace! “      - The Nwankwo Family

“I always admired his calm spirit and the peace that seems to irradiate from him. Humbleness makes a person great!” - Veralis Marroquin

"I always appreciated how Mr. Reeder would warmly greet me each day with a smile. He listened well to the staff members and was very considerate in his decisions. He was very encouraging to me as a teacher and made me feel valued. Most of all, it is evident that his faith is very genuine and he is a man of prayer. He is a wonderful role model of a disciple of Jesus to our students." - Jill Harlow

“Mr. Reeder is one of those people who is the happiest and the friendliest in the room.  God's love beams through him in action and words.  He lead Campion honorably, loyally, and excellently for decades.  Mr. Reeder is THE principal to look towards as an example of the highest quality leadership in all areas.  I have appreciated every Campion principal, but I knew that Mr. Reeder would offer the most genuine level of friendship towards parents and students at all times.  Thank you, Mr. Reeder, for showing us Jesus and for creating a Christ-like campus for every student.  In all my years knowing Mr. Reeder, I never heard a single soul, young or old, say anything but the highest commendations for this man of God.  Thank you, Mr. Reeder!  You served God valiantly, and because of you, many youth are following Christ daily.” - Jodie Aakko

"Mr. Reeder treated everyone like family and made Campion a safe place for students and staff." - Shannon Brown

“I loved working with Don for the past 8 years.  He genuinely cared about people and especially about their spirituality.  Anytime he met with students or staff he prayed for them and for the meeting taking place.  That is the biggest impact he made in my life.  He was genuine and compassionate and I know he made such a huge impact on so many lives.  He still touches the lives of my boys and they are grown men with their own families now.” - Sue Helm

“My memory of Mr. Reeder is based on kindness and affection towards everyone at Campion, and even though we spent little time with him, it was great to see how Don Reeder is a dedicated person who follows God’s ways. Thank you.” - Julia Santiago

“I think of his smile, as he greeted me on many mornings in the office. I think of his laugh, when he called me by my real name, or when he pulled a joke on me, or scared me when I was intently working on a project.  (He thought that was so funny to see me jump and scream).I think of all the times he prayed with me for various reasons.  I always felt safe sharing with him and getting advice. I think of how we shared the love of running, and participated in some of the same races and shared stories on the after pain .I think of the man that I saw taking so much time to visit with students throughout the day letting them know they were valued and important. I think of the man that exemplified Jesus over and over to the students, and the staff. I think of all the mornings he dropped his young daughter off in my classroom and entrusted her to my love and care .I think of the time as a Boys Dean he and his RA's would come and sing and do worship for us. I think of this Man, Husband, Father, Dean, and Principal and I am so glad I have had an opportunity to work with you all these years.  You will be very missed!” - Toni Odenthal

Don's smile has always uplifted me ever since I worked with Jessica at MHA. He seemed like a rock, a legend of God's youth ministry and education. I remember vividly when Don called me to ask me if I was interested in coming to Campion Church and honestly it was a huge sign from God. It was also a big affirmation for me that such a great leader in God's cause would remember little me. His passion and love for young people and God's kingdom is so inspiring. He would stop at nothing to ensure the "kids" had the best possible outcome on this campus. To me he sets the bar high for anyone going into youth ministry. Only after Jesus comes back we will know the true impact of his tireless service for God, the church, and the young people he ministered to. Thank you Mr. Reeder!! - Leandro Bizama

"I am blessed to call Don my friend, he has always supported the Alumni Association. It's been my privilege to work with Don for over 30 years. Campion has excelled and grown under his leadership, more importantly the spiritual growth at Campion is a direct reflection of his leadership. Congratulations, all the best in the next chapter of your life. Your friend, Kenny Gregerson."

"For as long as I’ve been here, I can only remember you being here. Whenever I see you, I’m met with a huge smile, and that makes my day. My favorite memories are when you used to come to my Mom’s class and read a story and play your guitar. My other one is when you would come in the business office and scare me so bad. :) You’re so amazing, and I’m going to miss having you around!" - Evie Lange

"We moved to Campion in 1986, and since that time, I've never known Campion without Reeder. I ended up working for him most of my academy years and summers. You were a great boss and mentor, Reeder! Long live the pig dogs!" - Jeff Boyd (class of '93)
​
“I've always regarded Mr. Reeder as someone I highly admire. During my time at Campion, I witnessed him lead the Men's Dorm with compassion, respect, humility, and humor. This made him very approachable and easy to connect with, regardless of the various individual backgrounds he encountered. Mr. Reeder led by example - showing us what it meant to be a good man who loves God and those around him. I hope you enjoy your much deserved free time, old man!” - Moses Arevalo
“There is nobody in my life, besides my dad, that has had a bigger impact than Don Reeder. He has been my mentor and my friend. Working alongside Don has created some incredible memories that I will never forget. I have learned so much from him and am so grateful he has been in my life.” - Daniel Force