After he got out of the Air Force, Brent took a job as a sweeper in the Walla Walla schools. After a short time he realized that his training in the Air Force was useful in his interactions with students and, most importantly, he liked going to work every day. After over 25 years in education (six as head custodian at Pioneer), Brent still says interacting with students is still the most rewarding part of his job.
Brent takes his role as educator very seriously and considers himself a “teacher with a broom.” When his administration realized his unique ability to connect with struggling students, they asked if he would be willing to have a small group of students assigned to him for about an hour a day. This improvised intervention gives the students time to talk about their lives with someone at their own pace and reflect on ideas for improvement. Brent is also a big believer in leading by example. Because sports and extracurricular activities played an important role in his adolescence, Brent sponsors an afterschool soccer team. When Brent was awarded prize money for a staff award he gave the money back to the school to set up a fund for needy kids.
“Brent has a heart for kids who don’t seem to have a friend group,” says colleague Alicia Quackenbush. “He befriends the students who are sitting by themselves. He will introduce students to each other, get a conversation going by telling them of like interests they have – knowledge he gained by building relationships with kids. It is not uncommon for friendships to develop after introductions from Mr. Bieloh.”
