What I Enjoy – Jason Dell
What I Enjoy – June 2025 – Jason Dell…
Occupation: School Principal
How Long in the North State? I was born in the Bay Area and my family moved to Cottonwood when I was 5 years old.
Family: Wife Jenny and daughters Lily and Violet.
What Do You Like Most About Living in the North State? It is hard to beat its natural beauty. Mountains, valleys, lakes, rivers, with so much to do and so much to see.
If you could introduce one completely new subject or course in your school district, what would it be and why? Early in my career I was able to create and teach an ethics course for high school freshmen. Throughout the years, many of my previous students have reached out to share with me how the course helped broaden their world view and prepared them for the challenges they have faced in developing a personal philosophy. I feel every student would be able to benefit from it on some level.
If you could turn any everyday activity into an Olympic sport, what would you have the best shot at winning a medal in? Storytelling. I have been fortunate to have had varied life experiences, from serving in the U.S. Army to teaching overseas, and many other life-changing events that have given me a unique perspective and have allowed for me to share out those experience with others.
If you could swap lives with any historical figure for a day, who would it be? Why? Marcus Aurelius, the Philosopher King. He lived out his life and ruled with a foundation of stoic philosophy. To see life through his eyes with the challenges he faced would be a revelatory experience.
If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your live, what would it be? Meatloaf. My mother made a slightly burnt version that I loved and my wife’s is right up there with hers on the delicious scale.
What’s a talent or skill you have that most people don’t know about? I am pretty good at trivia games. Being a lifelong learner has its advantages, and trivia questions prove that I have been paying attention.
What’s the most out-of-character thing you’ve ever done on a whim? I was teaching in Aleppo, Syria when the Arab Spring erupted and forced my evacuation. So with a pack on my back, I decided to travel around the world for four months without an agenda. That trip took me through 23 countries. I visited my 50th country two years ago.
If you had to describe your personality using only a movie title, what would it be? “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.” Through all my adventures, trials and successes, I have become an adaptable, resilient and resourceful person.
