Granger Elementary sixth-grade teacher Charlie Bell is among 10 educators statewide to receive the 2019 UEA/dōTERRA Excellence in Teaching Award. It’s a great honor for an outstanding teacher. Here’s an excerpt from his award profile:

With more than 24 years of teaching under his belt, Charlie Bell is a well-seasoned educator with a strong inner commitment to investing in the students in his care.

“Recognizing the unique challenges facing a student population in a high-poverty high-immigrant area, Bell specifically crafts his curriculum to invite students to participate in self-actualization exercises,” wrote a colleague. “Mr. Bell’s innate capacity to create authentic and supportive relationships with his students is a hallmark of his passion for teaching.”

In addition to Bell’s dedication to building deep bonds with his students, he has single-handedly spearheaded the Granger Elementary School Safety Patrol in conjunction with the American Automobile Association. Safety Patrol student volunteers are identified and trained by Bell to increase school safety especially with regards to the many pedestrians at drop-off and pick-up in the school’s busy parking lot. With this program Bell “invests himself wholly, teaching the Safety Patrol students not only to help manage pedestrians in traffic but more importantly leveraging the Safety Patrol as an opportunity to encourage peer-to-peer dialogues, leadership skills and character building.”