Brian Wessel:
CLASS OF 1981
Shadow Mountain High SchoolClass of 1981
Phoenix, AZ
Edison High SchoolClass of 1981
Huntington beach, CA
A.G. Currie Middle SchoolClass of 1977
Tustin, CA
C.C. Lambert Elementary SchoolClass of 1975
Tustin, CA
San Juan Elementary SchoolClass of 1975
Tustin, CA
Brian's Story
I am happily and profoundly married to Salaneta Aiwa Wessel, who is originally from the Islands of Kiribati. We were married in the Marshall Islands in April 1994, so our 15th anniversary is coming up. We have now one son, Nabil Teimatoa Wessel, who just turned 14 in February, but another boy on the way, due in mid-April 2009. We didn't plan for such a gap between kids, but God has other plans, we all know.
I, of course, used to play basketball in high school, and got known as Brian 'I am Jam' or 'Jam' Wessel, thanks to Greg Meehan at one of our Shadow Mountain High School Assemblies during our junior year. But in 1999, changed my sport to tennis, and got relatively good at it regionally. However, I now enjoy walking and hiking with my son and wife, and enjoy the new 'way of life' without competitive sports or win-lose competition. It's a nice change.
I also used to play a lot of guitar (for sure, I would have been one of those wannabes on American Idol had they had that back in those days, but probably one of the ones who thought they sounded good but got 4 'no's' from the judges!) For now, I play the ukelele to songs from Kiribati and others.
After graduating from Shadow Mountain High School in 1981, I attended ASU for a year, but didn't do so well (from A's and B's in high school to C average at ASU). So I took a semester off and worked full time in California living with my mom in Anaheim (Orange County). Then went back to Scottsdale Community College from Jan. 1983, getting an AA degree in Spring 1984 (doing much better with the grades!). For two summers I worked (for cheap!) at YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, Colorado (Summers of '84 and '85--'84 being the best one!). Attended Northern Arizona University from Fall 1984, graduating in December 1986. I liked it in Flagstaff, but still an immature part of my life (not quite balanced yet)...Expand for more
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For a few years I worked in banking and insurance in Arizona and California, but found myself unfulfilled. So the adventure began once I got up enough courage to step out of my father's shoes and into my own. Teaching and coaching was always a wish, and serving Baha'i communities overseas became an increasing wish to try, and the two go together because I needed to support myself.
So I went back to NAU to get post-graduate teacher certification, and the rest is history. Taught at the high school level in the Marshall Islands in the middle of the Pacific from 1994 to 1997, then we've been in Yap, Caroline Islands, from 1997 until now! Yes, half-way around the world, very close to Asia, about an hour northeast of Palau. I was hired to teach Geometry here with only my high school Geometry experience at Shadow Mountain!(although with a Bachelor's Degree and teaching certificate) but have since acquired a Master's Degree online through Walden University (2007), and have taken Algebra 2 and Pre Calculus refresher courses for teachers online as well.
Yap only got T.V. in 2004 (very traditional, out-of-the-way place, and slow-paced.
And, yes, we're helping to support the Baha'i Communities out here while supporting ourselves. It's an adventure, but one worth learning and growing from. I've become much more balanced (material, spiritual, and physical) because of this. For example, I used to be very impetuous with life-affecting decisions. However, over the past ten years I've almost completely paid off almost 30 year-old student loan debt (on a very small salary, to boot!). That's a big change for me, no doubt.
Hope to meet up with old friends, and acquaintences with Classmates, and look forward to meeting many again. I think I'd finally be up for a high school reunion this time, maybe the 30 year one in 2011!
With Warm Greetings from Yap!
Brian
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