Sitting patiently outside with a fishing pole in his hand, he focuses his eyes intently at the water. The telltale ripples make it obvious that a fish is hidden underneath the pond’s murky surface. His quiet and calm demeanor suddenly vanishes as he remembers he has to get back to the house.  It will only be minutes before yet another of Bryan Mendez’s famous cheesecakes is ready to come out of the oven.  

Assistant principal Bryan Mendez, an entrepreneur, educator, and fisherman, is a man of many talents. His hobbies cover a multitude of different areas, ranging from outdoor sports to the culinary arts. However, his true passion is for education.

“I believe every student wants to be successful,” Mendez said. “They each have the power to do something great.”

 Mendez spent the first 12 years of his life in Los Angeles, California. Since then he has lived in multiple locations, including Spring Valley and the east side of San Diego, where he attended and graduated from Santana High School. Before he graduated from San Diego State College, he attended Christian Heritage College for his English undergraduate degree hoping it would contribute to his success in law school.

“Law school was financially taxing because I was already married, so I decided I was going to substitute teach to supplement our income,” Mendez said. “I started substituting and I became enthralled with teaching.”

Mendez has a family of five, including his wife, two kids and a dachshund named Hans. His wife, who now works as a librarian for the College Street and Velma Penny campuses, formerly taught elementary school for 18 years. His daughter is an accounting manager, and his son is currently studying at Letourneau University.  Although his family does not participate in his outside activities, Mendez is still able to enjoy his time outside with the Bass Fishing team that he sponsors through the school. Supporting students at tournaments and giving sound advice makes Mendez a perfect candidate to be the team’s sponsor.  

“He knows a lot about fishing and what we’re doing, so he’s always got tons of tricks and tips and stuff for us to do,” team member Colt Oliver said.  “We have gone fishing a couple of times and the little time we have spent together has been pretty good.”

On top of his job as a principal, Mendez owns his very own cheesecake business, Bryan’s Cheesecakes. He distributes and sells the cheesecakes he makes at home through businesses such as Leo’s, making his creations more available to the community.

“It’s one of the best cheesecakes I’ve had,” senior Kelby Stewart said. “It’s definitely my first choice for dessert in town.”