Meet American History and Language Arts teacher, Bryan Bell. He is a positive influence on so many and absolutely adores his family and students.
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
A: God has blessed me with three beautiful women in my life, my wife Brandi and my daughters, Sierra and Savannah. I am very close to my parents and siblings as well. My family is my world.
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Q: Please tell us about your current career. Thing you love most about what you do.
A: I teach 8th grade American History and English Language Arts, and I am wrapping up my 26th year at West Middle School. The thing I love most about teaching is the people I interact with every day. I work with an amazing team at West and have the best principal in the world. My students are at the heart of my job. Remote Learning has been so challenging because I don’t get to see their smiling faces every day in person and miss the interactions that enrich my days. I feel blessed to get up and get to go to school every day, but very rarely ever feel like I am going to work.
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Q: What inspired you or led you to your current career?
A: Like most of us, when I was a student I had some amazing teachers and some that didn’t really seem to like their job. I was always amazed at the power they had to impact a student’s life in a positive way or make them miserable. At some point, I decided that I wanted to try to have that positive influence on some young peoples’ lives. I have had thousands of students throughout my career and I hope I have had a positive influence on a few of them.
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Q: What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community?
A: The Hot Tomato, Bin 707, Munchies, Dream Cafe
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Q: How long have you lived or worked in The Grand Valley?
A: I have lived in the Grand Valley since my freshman year of high school (35 years ago) and have worked here for 32 of those years.
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Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in our community?
A: My students
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Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be? And why?
A: I have never had the opportunity to take my family someplace warm and tropical. I would love to be able to do that for them.
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Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows??
A: Tombstone and anything on the Sportsman Channel.
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Q: What advice would you give a crowd of people?
A: Everyone makes mistakes. Learn from your mistakes and be forgiving when others make them.
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Q: What is something on your bucket list?
A: A great friend of mine owns Dillinger River Outfitters in Alaska. Before I die, I hope I get to hunt Alaskan Moose and Dall sheep with him.
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Q: What is your go-to band when you can’t decide what to listen to?
A: Kenny Chesney
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Q: What current or former local business makes you the most nostalgic about our community?
A: Back when places like Cabelas were just a mail-order dream, I remember wandering around the old Gene Taylor’s Sports Outlet thinking it was just about the best store I had ever been to.
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Q: Choosing any non-relative: with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? Where in The Grand Valley would you have lunch?
A: Guy Fieri at The Hot Tomato…I think he would be a fun dude to hang out with for an afternoon.
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Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about The Grand Valley?
A: In a short drive I can be hunting, fishing, shooting, riding, hiking, floating the river, on the lake, out in the desert, up on the mountain.
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Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?
A: I will be retired from teaching by then and hopefully starting a second career that still allows me plenty of time for my family and the outdoors while adding a little additional financial security.
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Q: If a movie was made of your life, who would you want to play you?
A: Robert Duvall at the age he was when he made Lonesome Dove
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Q: What is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
A: I don’t miss having hair.
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Q: What is the most beautiful place you have ever been to?
A: Sitka, Alaska
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Q: What 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
A: Love, laughter, warmth
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Q: Favorite month? holiday? and best single day on the calendar?
A: September when the aspens are changing and the elk are bugling along with Christmas morning with young, wide-eyed children.
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Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
A: A hot cup of coffee on a cold mountain morning.
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Q: Who inspires you to be better?
A: My daughters.
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Q: What is one or two of your favorite smells?
A: Rain on sage and ribs on the smoker.
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Q: If you were cast into a major motion picture and had your choice of anyone to be your co-star, who would you choose?
A: Sam Elliott
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