Mr. Jacky Grubbs, who owns a used car dealership, and Mrs. Diane Grubbs, who works in the attendance office, are Mrs. Melissa Bryant’s parents. Additionally, Mandy, Mrs. Bryant’s older sister, is a nurse. Mrs. Melissa Bryant was born in Bainbridge, Georgia. Mrs. Bryant was the 2007 graduating class valedictorian from Bainbridge High School. She then continued on to complete her degree at Thomas University. Because she has always had a passion for learning and for interacting with students, Mrs. Bryant stated that she wanted to become a teacher. Even though I am the teacher, I continue to learn something new every day. She believes that her compassion goes a long way, which is one of her strengths as a good teacher. She makes a sincere effort to develop strong bonds with her students. She also enjoys being organized. She makes an effort to plan ahead and manage her classroom in an orderly manner. She occasionally takes students’ mistakes too personally, which is a weakness in her teaching. She will naturally wonder what she is doing incorrectly as a teacher when a student isn’t doing well. She has had to learn that while she can motivate students, it is ultimately up to them to decide whether or not to pursue intrinsic motivation.

Before teaching at Bainbridge High School, Mrs. Bryant spent two years teaching at Grace Christian Academy and four years teaching at Bainbridge Middle School. She’s in her sixth year at BHS right now. She always wanted to teach at the high school level. Understanding how important the high school years are to a student’s future, she considers it an honor to be a part of students’ lives during such a crucial time. As she continues to teach, she hopes to improve as a teacher and to learn from the trials, tribulations, and changes that teaching will entail. She makes an effort to maintain as much organization as she can and enjoys including interactive activities in her lessons. She enjoys connecting the texts to her students’ everyday lives so that they will recognize how the messages in the text are applicable to them today.

Mrs. Melissa Bryant wanted to close this article by expressing gratitude first and foremost to God for His many blessings. One of those blessings is her husband of eleven years John Mark Bryant, a lineman at Grady EMC. Additionally, she wishes to express her gratitude for their son Lake, a first grader at West Bainbridge Primary.