Nielsen enjoys teaching, small town living

First year social studies teacher Brett Nielsen loves history. He's also pretty fond of small town living.

Nielsen is a Montana native of sorts. He graduated from Westby High School, about 243 miles north of Ekalaka, in 2012. There were four students in his graduating class. Nielsen's childhood home, however, is located just across the state border in North Dakota. His family farms in the area and has land in both Montana and North Dakota.

Nielsen not only teaches social studies at Ekalaka Public Schools, he is also the junior high volleyball coach. While in high school, he played basketball and golf for Westby and football for Plentywood (Westby didn't start a football program until after he graduated).

As an avid sports fan, he is thrilled at the opportunity to coach in Ekalaka. "I really enjoy coaching," he said. "The kids are great here."

Last year Nielsen coached 4-6 grade boys basketball in Crosby, North Dakota, about 35 miles from Westby.

Nielsen received his bachelor's degree from Montana State University in Bozeman. He completed his student teaching in Plentywood and was a long-term substitute in Crosby last year. He is excited about the smaller class sizes here, even compared to Crosby where there are around 30 students per class.

Nielsen had never been to Ekalaka before accepting the open teaching position. He did say that his younger sister, who graduated from high school in May, traveled to Ekalaka last year with Plentwood's volleyball team.

"I really like it here," he said. "A lot of other small towns don't have a small town feel. This place does."

Nielsen said his focus is on teaching and coaching and that, other than that, he doesn't really have any hobbies or interests.

"I'm a pretty simple guy," he said. "I love history and really enjoy working with kids."