Mr. Saunders interview: A unique career journey

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“I’ve been doing this for 29 years and have been at Bethel for 10 years; all I can say is no two days are the same.

— Ralph Saunders

For the past decade, Mr. Ralph Saunders, principal of BHS, has been a constant presence in the hallways, always greeting students with a smile. Recently, Mr. Saunders met with students from the MAD Academy to share his eventful career journey.

At first, Mr. Saunders did not know what kind of job he wanted. When he was in high school at Phoebus, he played basketball and football.  Mr. Saunders observed, “there… [I] made some great connections and lifelong friendships. I played basketball with Boo Williams, who owns the Boo Williams Sportsplex.” 

While choosing which school to attend, Mr. Saunders visited both Virginia State University and St. Paul’s College. “I had way too much fun there, and I knew that academics would not be my focus,” he admitted about his visit to Virginia State University. He decided to go to St. Paul, stating that, “It seemed like a quiet, boring, countryside-like town.” 

When he entered the workforce, Mr. Saunders did not find his niche right away. “I used to work as a buyer for men’s suits at a store similar to JC Penney,” he revealed. “[When] I knew this wasn’t what I wanted to do for a career, …I went back to school.”

After Mr. Saunders earned a Master’s degree and the certification to teach, his first position was as an elementary school teacher at Jane H. Bryan Elementary School, where he was awarded Teacher of the Year.

When asked about his time as an elementary teacher,  Mr. Saunders declared, “I loved it! I taught second and third grade. It was a wonderful time to be able to work with little kids at that age and help them develop a strong foundation and more importantly a love for learning.” To him, the most important thing was to teach them the curriculum and life skills.

Several students reflected on what it is like having Mr. Saunders as their principal. “It’s amazing!” Makiah Jones, 12th grader, stated. “He bonds with us and takes time out of his day to talk to all of us and make us laugh.” Christina Ortiz, another 12th grader, added, “When he disciplines us, he is also respectful and it is refreshing to see.”

It is safe to say not only that Mr. Saunders’ is loved at BHS but also that he loves his students. “I’ve been doing this for 29 years and have been at Bethel for 10 years; all I can say is no two days are the same,” he revealed.  “I have seen students grow up from kindergarten up to now, and I have gotten the opportunity to help all types of different students.”