Janna Bentley Pierce was born on Christmas Day 1953. She grew up north of Miller on her parents’ farm and attended school at Redwing Country School in northwest Buffalo County. She was an exceptionally bright girl and excelled in her school work, so much so that when she graduated the 8th grade at Redwing, she had advanced a year in her studies and thus graduated with the class of 1971 at Sumner, Nebraska.
When Janna graduated high school she began summer classes at Kearney State College. Her original ambition was to become a performer/professional dancer so she majored in Speech/Theatre with an English minor. Her college career was interrupted when she married her high school sweetheart who was in the United States Air Force. They moved to Maryland where he was stationed in November 1972. When her husband, Richard, was discharged, they moved back to Nebraska and she continued her education at UNL where Richard was taking classes. She student taught in the Lincoln Public Schools and graduated from Kearney State College in 1975.
She and her husband moved back to the family homestead. She began teaching at a one-room school nearby in rural Custer County School by the name of Flatbottom School. She and her husband decided to start a family so her career at Flatbottom lasted only one year. The patrons of the school district hated to see her leave but as one patron said, “That’s just alright because it takes teamwork at home too.”
Janna continued to substitute teach at various schools and was asked to finish a term, filling a void left at the Tufford School, which was also a one-room school in southern Custer County.
After the second child was born she was asked to teach at a one-room school, District #63, also known as Fairview School. Fairview closed after Janna had taught there just one year. It seemed to be the trend as more and more of the smaller one-room schools in the area were being closed.
Once again, Janna continued to substitute teach at nearby schools and especially at SEM in Sumner, Nebraska. After the fourth child was born, a part-time English position opened at SEM. During this time, she earned her English degree at UNK, and the position turned into a full-time English, Speech and Theatre position. Throughout her career, she produced, directed and wrote many country school programs and plays.
She ended her career in education after nearly 17 years teaching, full and part time. She has worked since as a professional freelance grant writer and lives with her husband on the ranch and family homestead. She enjoys her children and grandchildren and still uses “teaching skills” and “theatre skills” in helping to mold the young lives that she is a part of.
Being born on Christmas, she has been “God’s gift” to those she taught through the years and especially to those that know and love her.
When Janna graduated high school she began summer classes at Kearney State College. Her original ambition was to become a performer/professional dancer so she majored in Speech/Theatre with an English minor. Her college career was interrupted when she married her high school sweetheart who was in the United States Air Force. They moved to Maryland where he was stationed in November 1972. When her husband, Richard, was discharged, they moved back to Nebraska and she continued her education at UNL where Richard was taking classes. She student taught in the Lincoln Public Schools and graduated from Kearney State College in 1975.
She and her husband moved back to the family homestead. She began teaching at a one-room school nearby in rural Custer County School by the name of Flatbottom School. She and her husband decided to start a family so her career at Flatbottom lasted only one year. The patrons of the school district hated to see her leave but as one patron said, “That’s just alright because it takes teamwork at home too.”
Janna continued to substitute teach at various schools and was asked to finish a term, filling a void left at the Tufford School, which was also a one-room school in southern Custer County.
After the second child was born she was asked to teach at a one-room school, District #63, also known as Fairview School. Fairview closed after Janna had taught there just one year. It seemed to be the trend as more and more of the smaller one-room schools in the area were being closed.
Once again, Janna continued to substitute teach at nearby schools and especially at SEM in Sumner, Nebraska. After the fourth child was born, a part-time English position opened at SEM. During this time, she earned her English degree at UNK, and the position turned into a full-time English, Speech and Theatre position. Throughout her career, she produced, directed and wrote many country school programs and plays.
She ended her career in education after nearly 17 years teaching, full and part time. She has worked since as a professional freelance grant writer and lives with her husband on the ranch and family homestead. She enjoys her children and grandchildren and still uses “teaching skills” and “theatre skills” in helping to mold the young lives that she is a part of.
Being born on Christmas, she has been “God’s gift” to those she taught through the years and especially to those that know and love her.