LAUREL — When a person dedicates a large portion of his life to a cause, a community notices. On Friday, that person was Mick “Mr. Great” Good, who turned 86 years old and has worked in education for the last 67 years as either a teacher or custodian.

On the lawn outside of East Marshall Elementary School in Laurel, the student population gathered. Staff members wore specially made T-shirts bearing the image of Elvis Presley with Good’s face superimposed on it and thanking him for everything he has done. They also planted and dedicated a tree in his honor.

Principal Mark Albertsen began the event by giving a brief history of Good’s work experience. He began as a high school and junior high social studies teacher. Good has coached baseball, softball, basketball and track. He has also been a custodian. While at the Ferguson building, Albertsen said Good liked to dress up as Elvis.

“Mick, you know you’ve made an impact on so many people when you have your face on a T-shirt worn by so many,” Albertsen said.

A touching thing the principal learned about Good was he would cut up wooden blocks at Christmas time into the shape of triangles. Students would use paint to turn them green and place ornaments on them. The children would take them home as gifts for their parents. Albertsen said Good also liked to give students full-size candy bars on their birthdays.

“Whenever I ask Mick, he will always reply, ‘Not bad for an old guy,'” he said, drawing laughter. “Mick, if we all look as good as you at 86 and have a positive influence on so many people as you have, I think we would all consider ourselves pretty lucky.”

Albertsen then gave Good a special birthday present. Good is a long-time New York Yankees fan, so the principal contacted the baseball team to let them know about the upcoming birthday. A package arrived at the school on Thursday bearing gifts for Good from the team – a bobblehead, hooded sweatshirt and a card.

After reading a East Marshall Community School District proclamation declaring Oct. 17, 2025 as Mr. Mick Good Day, Albertsen and four students planted a Redmond American linden tree in his honor.

The event ended with everyone singing “Happy birthday.” As the harmony was kept, the students did their best in making it as loud as possible, drawing a smile from Good as he sat in a chair. He spoke a few words at the end.

“This really is a surprise,” Good said. “. . . It’s not easy being good, and I even have that name. I just want to thank everybody, thank all you kids. Sometimes I may see you when you get older, and I won’t even know you, but sometimes I will know you. But you will always know me, because I’m not going to change that much. I want to thank everybody who put this program on. I’m really surprised.”

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Contact Lana Bradstream

at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or

lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.