Students mourn former teacher of the year Robert Borneman

Oxnard, Calif.-For years students have flocked to Robert Borneman's advanced placement classes at Oxnard High School.

Decades ago he was named Ventura County Teacher of Year.

He credited his first grade teacher at Montalvo Elementary with teaching him to love learning.

For nearly three decades he inspired students, including academic decathlon participants to apply to the universities of their dreams.

Parents saw their children go to Princeton, Berkeley, UCLA, UCSB, and other prestigious schools.

He also encouraged kids to go to Ventura College and then transfer.

On Sunday, February 12th family, friends were at his bedside when he died from a burst liver while in hospice care at his childhood home in Ventura.

Students mourning the man they called "Mr. Borneman" shared their thoughts about the teacher who inspired and believed in them.

"Mr Borneman's passing was an absolute tragedy. He was the kind of teacher who made me excited to come to learn every single day he was very passionate and it was contagious, " said UCLA graduate Emily Martinez.

She said he was extraordinary and pushed students to continue their eduction.

UCSB graduate Keonah Summer called him creative and caring.

"I realized that my classmates and I were gifted a gift that many never receive; the gift of thoughtfulness, and curiosity. Mr. Borneman was able to spark a sense of justice in his students, breaking down ideas from bias and philosophy, Mr. Borneman encouraged us to think for ourselves." said Summers.

She credits him with helping her pick her political science major, too.

Jacan Stone said that most would agree he was eccentric, but not in a random or weird way.

"He had purpose to his eccentricities," said the Ventura College Grad.

"Mr. Borneman was one of my most favorite teachers ever, "said Jacquelynne Fontaine-Isaac, (OHS 2000, CLU 2004, USC 2008) " His classes taught me information that I use daily and even used to pass a graduate music exam. He deeply cared for his students and we loved him. If you took one of Mr. Borneman's classes you knew you were going to be worked hard and he did it with love. You might have grumbled the entire class, but you left with an immense amount of knowledge and excitement for the world around you. I will dearly miss him."

Many of his students are bilingual including Axel Mora from the class of 2017.

"Mr. Bornman was a good person, a great friend and taught us values and humility with compassion and respect and overall guided us to be better people," said Mora.

His student Genevieve Flores-Haro, from OHS Class of 2007, is now on the Oxnard Union High School District Board of Trustees.

"Mr. Borneman was a once-in-a-lifetime teacher. For the thousands of students who walked through his classroom door, Mr. Borneman was easily the best teacher we've had, both at the high school and post secondary level," said Flores-Haro, "We are all grieving deeply and holding tighter to both the scholastic and life lessons we learned from Mr. Borneman. We are physicians, activists, musicians, lawyers, philosophers, teachers, entrepreneurs and overall better humans for having someone like Mr. Borneman in our lives."

When he wasn't teaching he loved to travel and read.

He left an extensive book collection to his students.

Borneman was a doctoral candidate at UCSB and had planned to publish a memoir before he died.

Other students posted their thoughts on YouTube.

Robert Borneman was 57-years-old.

Students hope the Oxnard Union High School District will assist them in planning a memorial.