SPANISH FORT, Ala. — Spending your week with 769 students ranging from kindergarten through fifth grade may not appeal to everyone, but for Principal Robert Owen it is a perfect fit.

“My number one pastime is my job,” he said. “My philosophy is that we are going to find a way that every child can find success.”

He wants every child to say, “This is what I do at school, and I am good at it.”

He loves his job, elementary education, Rockwell Elementary and the children, he said. Owen said he is proud of the programs that Rockwell Elementary offers such as fishing, golf, lacrosse, reading, accelerated math and music programs.

“The most successful is the arts program. Some students may not be academically inclined, but they can be successful there,” he said. “If your heart wasn’t in it, it would be a forty-hour-a-week job and then you are gone, but you wouldn’t be a good principal.”

Owen graduated from Mobile College, now the University of Mobile, with two bachelor’s degrees — one in sociology and one in elementary education. He then pursued and received two master’s degrees from the University of South Alabama — one in elementary education and one in education leadership. He also has an education specialist degree, which is a national degree in education leadership from the University of South Alabama.

This is his 24th year in education, and his 19th as a principal, he said.

Owen was a principal/teacher for six years at Bon Secour’s Swift Elementary School. He is a former principal of Daphne Elementary School, as well.

Owen was the founding principal of Rockwell Elementary, which opened its doors in 1997. This makes it his 11th year at this school.

Owen has been a pianist since he was six years old. He minored in music in college in piano performance. He is a former church music director. He’s occasionally called upon to sing in a wedding or to sing at a local function, such as singing the national anthem at a United Way kickoff.

He has played piano for a variety of functions for 30 years since being in high school, he said.

His piano style consists of playing easy listening music and church music. He even created his own Christmas piano CD. Proceeds are donated to a Rockwell Elementary scholarship fund.

The scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior who completed the fifth grade at Rockwell. The recipient is chosen by a committee.

Other favorite pastimes include enjoying the great outdoors, especially if he gets a chance to golf or fish in Mobile Bay. He is an avid football fan.

“I love college football,” he said.

When asked which team he rooted for, he said without hesitation, “Roll Tide!” Though he is a University of Alabama fan and is a season ticket holder, he loves watching all college football games.

Owen said he is looking forward to the University of South Alabama starting a football team in 2009.

“I am not an athlete but I love sports,” he said.

Don’t be surprised if you spot him at a local ball game. He attends most of Spanish Fort’s athletic functions. If he cooks he usually likes to do grill out.

He describes himself as being “very social.” Spending time with his friends is high on his list, especially when they get together to watch football or go to the movies.

Silverhill is Owen’s hometown, but he has lived in Daphne for approximately 20 years.

He lived in Mobile for a short stint. Owen’s parents, who are deceased, gave him advice when he was young that he still follows today.

“If you start something, you don’t quit,” he said.

He said his parents taught him a life lesson that if you commit to doing something you see it through.

Even though there are times when you would like to throw in the towel it takes determination to see something through, he said. He was brought up to have a positive Christian outlook, he said.

“Being a Christian is the strongest influence in my background,” he said. “You can do all things through Christ that strengthens me,” he quotes from the Bible.

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