The guiding force behind the success of the EPIC Yearbook is ending an epic career at Bridgewater-Raritan High School.
Mike Bittner will close out a teaching career at Bridgewater-Raritan High School that began in 2000 when the Class of 2026 graduates on Thursday, June 18, at Rutgers University.
“I started teaching in the Business department here at Bridgewater Raritan High School in the fall of 2000. Over that time, I have only taught semester courses, meaning I have had over 6,000 students in my time here,” said the retiring Mr. Bittner. “Some of my favorite courses to teach are my current classes, which are Entrepreneurship and Business Management, International Business, and Intro to Business. They are courses that involve many real-life skills such as personal finance, setting up and managing a business, and the importance of keeping up with what is happening in the world because it all ultimately impacts on business and on life.”
Mr. Bittner’s retirement will not be official until he finishes his annual task –and a passionate one at that—of distributing the high school’s EPIC Yearbook to the Bridgewater-Raritan High School student body
He recalled how he first got involved with the crucial role of coordinating the high school yearbook.
“I have previously taught Photo Editing and Web Design, Desktop Publishing, and Photo Editing for Business. These courses were fun to teach, and I enjoyed seeing how the students were able to make their ideas come to life as images, not just in the written word. These courses also helped us use the students’ ideas in the creation of the EPIC Yearbook,” Mr. Bittner revealed.
He continued to share the history of his role as the yearbook’s advisor.
“I started being a creative co-adviser on that in 2011 as we created the 2011-2012 yearbook. I have also been the advisor for the business side of the yearbook. That has involved meeting with vendors and setting the pricing of the yearbook and of the photo studio costs,” he explained.
The advisor of the EPIC Yearbook was not his only responsibility.
“For the last 10 years, I have also been a co-advisor for Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). This has been a great experience as I was able to attend both state and national leadership conferences, where I was able to see our students excel. We have crossed the country for the national events by going to places as diverse as Atlanta, Anaheim, and Chicago. This year, we are going back to San Antonio, where I am sure that our students will do well and we will also get to see the Alamo and visit other sites in the area,” Mr. Bittner explained.
Dan Hemberger, the Principal at Bridgewater-Raritan High School, recognized the value Mr. Bittner brought to the Bridgewater-Raritan High School campus each day.
“Mike has been a meticulous yearbook advisor for many years. His passion for this annual project is unmistakable as he is a leader coordinating and cataloging a student’s life at Bridgewater-Raritan High School,” Principal Hemberger said. “In many ways, he’s not only an educator, but also a journalist and a businessman. He will be missed!”
What is next on the agenda?
"As for future plans, we are traveling with friends in the fall on a European cruise. I am also looking forward to spending some time at the Jersey shore and completing some projects around my home."
Before he ends his distinguished chapter, Mr. Bittner touched on the special times he spent at Bridgewater-Raritan High School.
“It has been truly wonderful to work with the co-advisors that I have had as well as all of the students, many of whom have really grown over their time working on the yearbook for their entire high school careers,” he stated.
He signed off when he said, “ I will miss the dedicated friends that I teach with, as well as many of the students.”