Nov. 3, 2005

Physical education is usually a favorite subject, but for students at Sul Ross Elementary, there is a reason to like it even more this year. Maybe even brag about it.

Baylor University starting quarterback Shawn Bell is completing his teaching internship at the school under the direction of physical education teacher Cindy Strunk. He visits the campus every day to work with the students as part of the professional development school partnership between Waco ISD and Baylor University.

"I didn't really know what field I wanted to teach. I thought I always wanted to be a high school teacher. This experience with elementary children has really been a good one for me," Bell said. "It is a joy to come to school every day."

Bell played high school football for China Spring where his father is a football coach and his mother is a teacher, so education is in his blood.

Strunk praises him for what he brings to the classroom and the career focus that he models for her young students.

"We talk about how he used to be a third-grader in an elementary P.E. class and he had an aspiration of being a quarterback or playing on a football team and it came true," she said.

What are his career goals? "I'm leaning towards coaching high school or college but all the smiles and joy that the little kids bring make me second guess myself." This feature was provided courtesy of the Waco Independent School District. To learn more, visit www.wacoisd.org.