For 45 years at Proctor Jr/Sr High School, Mr. Bloodworth has been a ray of sunshine, brightening any rainy day.  

“I enjoy the atmosphere, the teachers are nice, and the kids are really nice,” Bloodworth says about what keeps him coming back 13 years after retiring. 

Before teaching at Proctor Jr./Sr. High School, Mr. Bloodworth went to Castleton University for four years to get his degree in Geology. After he got his degree, he decided to join the army. “ I didn’t want to get drafted for the Navy, so I enlisted  to make it easier,” Bloodworth said.

Mr. Bloodworth was in the Navy from 1967 to 1971 during the Vietnam War.  He was a coast guard in the CIC division. CIC means Combat Information Center, where they look out for ships and planes. He was off the coastline from Yankee Stadium. “It was probably the safest option,” Bloodworth explains. 

What many people don’t know is that Mr. Bloodworth got his love for ping pong during his time in the Navy. When a couple of buddies and he were in Chicago, they would go to a YMCA club. The YMCA is a nonprofit organization that has programs that build healthy spirit, mind, and body for all. They would go whenever they could. “It was an unbelievable experience; I had to come back (to play ping pong).”

After his journey in the Navy, Mr. Bloodworth decided to become a part-time sub for Rutland Town Elementary School from 1978-80. While he was a part-time sub, he helped build a skating rink in Rutland. 

Mr. Bloodworth started teaching at Proctor Jr./Sr. High School in the fall of 1981.  He taught math for the first ten to twelve years. After he taught math, he was asked to teach science for a number of years. Later, he and the principal at the time decided to run a media program for a couple of years. The program was mainly teaching people about videoing, editing, and taking photos while editing them to make them look advanced.

During his time at Proctor Jr/Sr High School, he has been to 8 model UN’s with Mr. Mott, 12 trips to New York, and two student trips to Germany. He was also Proctor’s Athletic Director for eight years.

When he stopped teaching full time in 2012, Mr. Bloodworth volunteered to teach ping pong to students during a unit for physical education. Over his retirement years, Mr Bloodworth has filled in as part-time sub at Proctor Jr/Sr High School wherever he is needed, but that is not all he does for the community of Proctor. He has been recording some of the Phantoms' home games since 1997, and even recorded our prom this year.

Outside of his time working here at Proctor Sr./Jr. High School, Mr. Bloodworth spends his time playing ping pong all around the state, and hanging out with his eight dogs and two cats.