“‘Hello Baby!’ That is how I would start my class each day,” Mark A. Carrillo fondly recalls of his 39 1/2 years. Carrillo has been reminiscing about his teaching career often lately, due to his impending retirement.
Carrillo was born in Dragerton, Utah to Berta and Tito Carrillo. He graduated from ECHS in 1974 where he was often found on the football field as middle line-backer for the team.
“I loved to hit and I was known for late hits and swearing, imagine that,” Carrillo said.
Carrillo was also on the swim team and track team and was sixth in State in the two mile. His school involvement did not end there, however. He also belonged to Decca Club & Thespian Club as well as playing on the baseball team as a catcher. From there, Carrillo went on to play baseball for Coach Jensen on a baseball scholarship.
Furthering his education, Carrillo graduated from the College of Eastern Utah in 1976, where he was voted Outstanding Technical Student in 1975 and ’76. He then traveled to Southern Utah State College to earn a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Industrial Arts.
Carrillo took his first job at T.H. Bell in Ogden in 1978 and while there, he coached baseball. While he was on the way to Arizona to teach, Larry Leonard called and offered Carrillo a job at Mont Harmon Junior High in 1979. Accepting this offer, Carrillo taught there for 28 years and also assisted with the football program.
From there, Carrillo was transferred to Carbon High School, where he finished his long career.
“If you ever mess up in Mr. C’s class, you got his famous assignment–to write ‘For some reason or another… I just can’t understand… etc,” stated Carrillo.
Carrillo was voted Teacher of the Year for the Extra Mile Award in 2005 and 2006. In 2006 and 2007, he was named the Southeastern Utah Teacher of the Year overall winner for the Crystal Apple Award from Emery Telcom for Carbon and Emery counties. The awards did not stop there; Carrillo also received the Arch Coal Foundation Certificate of Recognition and Appreciation in 2009 as well as the Outstanding Teacher Award from the Forest Scientific Corporation.
Carrillo then received an award for Visionary Service Leader Award from Price Municipal Corporation in 2011. Furthermore, Carrillo was honored with UTEE Utah Technology & Engineering Educator in Appreciation and Recognition for 39 1/2 years of outstanding service and dedication to Utah Students 2018.
Wearing many hats, Carrillo has owned three businesses in the time that he taught school: Carrillo Redwood Burl Furniture, with his brother, Juan, Tender Home Health Shuttle and Carrillo Towing, which he has owned for the past 26 years. Carrillo wished to give a special thanks to Wayne Clausing and Dave Zaccaria, who donated to his program year after year. He also wished to thank Mrs. C, Zade, Zander, his sister, Gloria, parents and brothers, Juan, Tom, and Leonard.
Over the years, Carrillo’s students have won many awards, including “Best of Show” at Young Craftsman Fair at both BYU and Utah Valley State College. The legacy he leaves is of all the thousands of projects he has made with his students, including beds, dressers, gun cabinets, swings, safes, nightstands and much more.
“Thank you to my students for a great career in Mr. C.’s playhouse,” Carrillo stated.