Gale Crosby, Oregon Conference education superintendent, and Randy Thornton, Milo Adventist Academy principal, honored Milo veteran educator Al Andrieux on Oct. 7, 2017, during Milo's alumni weekend. Andrieux, who announced he will retire at the end of this school year, has served Adventist education for 50 years, including 35 years of teaching at Milo in Days Creek, Ore.
Born and raised in California, Andrieux graduated from California State University at Los Angeles in 1968 with a degree in experimental psychology. During his senior year he did some substitute teaching at Pomona Junior Academy (PJA) and was hired after graduation to teach math and science.
During his first year, Andrieux had been praying for God to send him the person he was supposed to marry. The next school year, a new young, single female teacher named Cheryl was hired at PJA, and the rest is history. They became Mr. and Mrs. Andrieux the next year and have been an awesome team ever since.
The next phase of their journey led the Andrieuxes to Cedar Brook School in Rehoboth, Mass., where between them they taught all subjects for ninth and 10th grades. After eight years, they decided it was time to get back to the West Coast to be closer to their family, so they accepted a call to Tacoma Junior Academy in Washington. After two years, the school was having some budget issues and had to cut back to just eight grades. The superintendent wanted to keep the Andrieuxes but didn’t have any openings, so he told them about two positions available at Milo Academy. They were hired for the 1983–84 school year.
Cheryl Andrieux retired after 40 years of teaching but is still an active volunteer as Milo’s postmaster, church clerk, children’s Sabbath School teacher and countless other activities.
Over the years, Al Andrieux has a wide range of classes, including three levels of algebra plus geometry, advanced math, precalculus and advanced placement (AP) calculus. His science classes have included general and physical science as well as standard and AP physics and chemistry. He's even covered social studies classes, from citizenship education, economics, personal finance and government to standard, honors and AP history.
Thanks to Andrieux's tutelage, a large number of students have successfully passed their AP exams to earn college credit. One particular student earned enough credits to start college as a sophomore. He earned a degree in chemistry, worked for NASA and eventually became a chemistry professor at Walla Walla University in College Place, Wash. That really pleased Andrieux because he primarily considers himself a chemist.
Andrieux has been involved in a number of extracurricular activities at Milo. He has played his soprano, alto, tenor and bass saxophones in the band; sponsored the student association and a number of senior classes; served as assistant coach for the basketball and soccer teams; and led mission trips around the world, including to Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Cayman Islands, Belize and Panama.
Andrieux has taught two generations in many families and has impacted countless lives throughout his career in Adventist education. He will be greatly missed.
If you would like to contribute to a scrapbook of Milo memories for the Andrieuxes, please email your greetings.
Kathy Hernandez with Cheryl Andrieux
Cheryl and Al Andrieux have dedicated decades to Adventist education.
Al Andrieux considers himself primarily a chemist.
