Who's Who Top Educators

Bruce Llewellyn Potts

Title: Educator (Retired)
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States

Bruce Llewellyn Potts, Retired Educator, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Educators for dedication, achievements, and leadership in art education.

With many years of experience to his credit, Mr. Potts is currently retired, having formerly excelled as an art, English and special education teacher in New Mexico for 25 years, during which time he was affiliated with the University of New Mexico as a part-time instructor and assistant professor for 14 years. Initially teaching drama in Farmington, New Mexico, he later taught Language Arts in the Gallup-McKinley School District in Tohatchi, New Mexico which is on the Navajo Reservation. Before eventually shifting his attention toward public speaking, he operated the Language Lab at the University of New Mexico’s Gallup Campus, helping Native American students with their essay reading and writing skills. With his inherent skill at motivating children to become better artists as well as his ongoing desire to work with underprivileged children, Mr. Potts is currently considering becoming a mentor or part-time educator while continuing to pursue other ventures in his spare time, such as acting or helping the homeless. He was able to use a digitized voice program, developed by Orange Cherry Software, to create a signing curriculum for students with developmental disabilities. Through the program, he was able to establish a language base with his nonverbal students, and within a year, many began speaking audibly, and their speaking and comprehension improved.

Prior to embarking on his professional path, Mr. Potts was stationed with the Seabees in Coronado, San Diego while serving in the U.S. Navy, with which he was previously assigned with the U.S. St. Paul for two years while making trips to Vietnam to provide shore bombardment. As an artist, he focused his work in animal drawings, acrylic paintings and ceramic sculptures, which he exhibited in shows throughout Albuquerque and Gallup, New Mexico. During his naval service, he was recruited by the San Diego Public Library to conduct storytelling incorporating creative dramatics, puppetry and newly published children’s books, which he later utilized to great success through the children’s show for enlisted Navy families at his Admiral’s Christmas party. Mr. Potts subsequently continued his military career at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, holding a post with Fleet Intelligence Pacific (FICPAC) in which he handled and registered highly sensitive documents.

Mr. Potts was later tasked with bringing his children’s show to assemblies at multiple elementary schools throughout the Honolulu School District, with permission from FICPAC. He was then tasked with crafting a children’s play based on Hawaiian culture for the University of Hawaii’s children’s drama group. As such, he researched Hawaiian folklore, and interviewed kahunas and older Hawaiian citizens. As a result of this work, Mr. Potts has been active in the entertainment business as a playwright, having penned “Pardon Me, Have You Seen A Menehune?” for the University of Hawaii.

Mr. Potts’ additional endeavors in entertainment include his talent as an actor in the film “Cash,” having performed alongside prolific actor Sean Bean. He also conducted puppet shows for injured children at the Tripler Army Hospital in Honolulu, a venture for which he was honored as Sailor of the Month by All Hands, a magazine produced by the U.S. Navy. He has also brought his puppet shows to deaf children through Urban Gateways in Chicago, which encouraged him to conclude his academic efforts. Mr. Potts is also a talented baritone singer, having studied vocals privately and having displayed his talents at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

To support his career, Mr. Potts obtained a bachelor’s degree with a dual major in studio art and speech communications, with a specialty in oral interpretation of literature from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in 1978. Upon completing his six years of military service, he subsequently concluded his education at Western New Mexico University, from which he graduated with a Master of Education in Special Education in 1992. Attributing his success to his ability to set and complete goals, Mr. Potts is particularly proud of being recognized as the Sailor of the Month in 1973.

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