Re-1 assistant superintendent, Vic Bruce, came to Cortez in 1970 with the notion of staying for only two years in order to establish his work credentials. Thirty years later, he joked that, "Maybe I never did get those credentials built up."

After 30 years of service to the Re-1 school district, Bruce will leave his administrative duties behind at the end of this school year and will move on to new endeavors, trying to leave a positive impact along the way.

"I’ll find some way to putter around," Bruce said adding that his new pressing engagements will include traveling, keeping in touch with his grandchildren and staying active in his church.

"Whenever I was in school and somebody asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I told them that I wanted to be a teacher and a coach," Bruce said Friday.

After graduating from Adams State College in Alamosa with degrees in biology and physical education, Bruce moved to Cortez along with his wife, Sheryl, in order to make those dreams a reality.

"For the first 13 years of my career I taught biology and coached football and wrestling at the high school," Bruce said.

"I was always interested in the life sciences. Biology touches everybody’s life and I enjoyed very much being a hands-on teacher. My classes were always filled with lab activities and investigating how things worked," Bruce said.

Debbie Baker, a third-grade teacher at Manaugh Elementary and former student of Bruce’s, remembers one particular biology class that was especially ‘hands-on’.

"I remember we were supposed to be dissecting a shark in my senior biology class and all the students just wanted to start cutting into the thing," said Baker. "But Mr. Bruce wanted to discuss what was going on first — the students ended up tying him up and throwing him out into the hall."

"When I went back years later to apply for a job I hoped that he wasn’t still holding a grudge," Baker jested.

Baker said that as a teacher and a boss Bruce has always been very consistent, fun and willing to help.

Bruce said that the greatest achievement a person can reach as a teacher is to see his or her students graduate and go on to become active participants in the community.

"That’s what education is all about," he said.

"I believe in this system. If a student wants to learn and they have the necessary support system then they can get a good education in Cortez," he said. "Through this job I have been able to raise my kids in this system and have seen them go on to higher education and careers."

After 13 years of test tubes and Bunsen burners, Bruce was ready for a change when he became an administrator, a position that presented him with new opportunities to impact students.

"As an administrator I have had the tremendous chance to be able to serve students in all areas of education from grades K-12," said Bruce.

That chance came in the form of positions as principal at the junior high school, Manaugh Elementary, Beech Street Kindergarten and the Lake View school and later as the district’s assistant superintendent.

"As an administrator you are still doing things for the kids and trying to have as much of a positive influence on them as possible," he said.