Band director celebrates 50 years of teaching in Ascension Parish

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - For 50 years, Sheily Bell has taught generations of musicians in Ascension Parish.

“So, I’ve taught at all three high schools on this side of the parish, and one of the middle schools in Donaldsonville,” Bell said.

Recently recognized as bandmaster of the year in Louisiana, Bell said what keeps her in this field is her love for seeing her students’ accomplishments.

“Just to keep on going till I don’t like it anymore and you know I tell everybody. I don’t know what I want to do when I grow up so I’m just going to continue to teach,” she said.

Bell loves every moment of her job.

“I love football season because the kids love it so much and they get to cheer and have fun at the ball games and we work on music all week and then we play on Friday night,” Bell added.

In March, the band will be the only high school band from Louisiana to travel to Indianapolis for a special concert performance.

“I can’t say it’s one particular part to me. The concert part of it is the best because we get to work on so many things that we can’t work on during football season. You know, in football season it’s like hurry up to do this now we got to do this,” Bell said.

And she said she has no plans to leave Dutchtown anytime soon.

“I’ve always had great people to work with throughout my career and great administrators and you know, Ascension Parish is the place to be as far as I’m concerned, because I was born and raised here,” Bell explained.

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